


Levitating

by maxineemalanaphy



Series: Gigi&Crystal [1]
Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: "Atypical" references, F/F, Lesbians, Smut, Teenage Drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:34:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 37,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23777686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maxineemalanaphy/pseuds/maxineemalanaphy
Summary: If you wanna run away with me, I know a galaxyAnd I could take you for a rideI had a premonition that we fell into a rhythmWhere the music don't stop for life
Relationships: Crystal Methyd/Gigi Goode
Series: Gigi&Crystal [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1749463
Comments: 56
Kudos: 109





	1. One

_In the schoolyard there were two loud voices that did nothing but argue. Two voices that everyone listened attentively so that they could run to their friends to tell about it later._

_Insults, secrets revealed, and then shoves were added. No one intervened, as if they wanted to see how far the situation could go, as if they were waiting to see which of them would punch the other first. A chorus began to rise up. "Brawl" repeated the people around them._

_Someone rushed to the point where all the guys were surrounded and immediately separated the two just in time. He was crying and begging them to stop, because what had happened had happened and no one could change it._

  
  


Months earlier Crystal Elizabeth Methyd had become part of a world completely unknown to her. The principal had called her to her office, and when the girl showed up, she didn't know what to expect. She was sure she hadn't made trouble for once and wondered why her art teacher and even her parents were there. 

She sat in the wooden chair in front of the principal's desk, with a big smile on her face.

Crystal had ended up in that office many times because of her thousands of delays, her "unsuitable" answers to the teachers, sometimes because of some clashes with other classmates, and never had she been greeted with such kindness and joy. She really couldn't understand.

\- Well, now that we're all here, we can get started. Crystal, sorry to call you out of the blue in the middle of a lecture, but Miss Crowley and I couldn't wait - the headmistress came in. 

\- I don't understand what's going on. What are you talking about? I'm not in trouble, am I? I swear I didn't do anything this time - Crystal gave voice to her thoughts. Her mother gave her a slight elbow on her arm to keep her quiet. 

\- Let your principal speak, dear - her father smiled at her and her art teacher started talking. 

\- Crystal, at the exhibition here at school the other day there was a teacher from LA County High School for the Arts. She noticed your work and found it magnificent - she said, smiling proudly.

\- She wants to offer you a scholarship to attend their school, if you want to - the headmistress finished her sentence for Professor Crowley. 

Crystal was stuck for two seconds. Someone had finally noticed something special about her and what she was doing. Someone important had found her canvases so "magnificent" that they gave her the chance to enter a prestigious school that suited her dreams. 

But after those few seconds of happiness, she began to think about her friends, the people she was going to leave there. 

In her heart, however, her chance was more important.

\- Sure... I mean, I want to go, yes - she answered, almost hesitant. Her father grasped her insecurity and didn't hesitate to intervene.

\- What is it? You're not sure? - he asked her. Crystal crossed her hands and laid her eyes on them.

\- I'm sure, but... I'll have to leave my friends and everything I know. I mean, if I'm not here to make trouble, who will? - the girl laughed a little so she could lighten the air around her. 

Professor Crowley approached her. Despite their many squabbles, you could say they were almost friends, after all, Crystal was her favourite in her own way. 

\- Crystal, let me tell you something: if your friends love you, they won't abandon you just because you go to another school, they will be happy for you chasing your dreams. A golden opportunity has presented itself to you, and you should take it, for yourself - take her hands and smile. She really wanted Crystal to do the right thing. 

\- I think Miss Crowley's right... Someone saw a spark in you and now you can show them that there's more to you, that you have a fire that shines inside you, that can dazzle everyone - her mother encouraged her. She had always been her number one fan. 

Crystal smiled at her, she couldn't brag about having more than four friends, but she could brag about her family. Her parents had always encouraged her, had always been by her side, leaving her free to make her own choices. Of course, they had also had ups and downs, like any family, but they always managed to apologize and move on.

\- Here's everything you need to apply to the school, you have good grades in the other subjects too, so it won't be a problem for you - the headmistress handed you a file and then dismissed Crystal and her family.

When she left the office, she still couldn't believe what happened. Crystal said goodbye to her parents, too, and then went back to class, continuing her day. Jackie, sitting next to her, asked her why she was called by the principal, and her friend just told her it was nothing special. 

The day went by quickly and once she got home Crystal filled out her application and sent it off without a second thought. She decided not to say anything to her friends, partly out of superstition, partly because she was afraid of their reaction. She probably would have just gone away, without warning or goodbyes or anything like that that would have made her cry like a fountain. She wanted to spare herself any kind of unpleasant event that might change her mind. 

A few days later Crystal got the call she was waiting for: she had been accepted into LA County High School for the Arts. She had visited the school two days earlier and had had some sort of interview with one of the students, who apparently was just as impressed with her as the teacher who had been at her old school exhibition.

The next day, once at school, Crystal joined her group of friends in the yard. She greeted them warmly, as if it were a normal day. They looked at her, waiting for her to say something.

\- What is it? Not in a good mood today? - she asked, joking. Jackie hugged her suddenly and then the others joined in. Jan, Heidi, Jackie, Sakura (or rather nicknamed Rock) and Crystal. They had been together since day one. All so different, yet so close.

\- I hate you a little bit, you leave us for rich people - Jan said as he had his cheek crushed on Crystal's shoulder, who smiled at his joke. There it was, that nostalgia, that veil of sadness that immediately welcomed her. She was the center of a love sandwich and realized how essential her friends were to her. 

She had always counted on them, no matter what the situation. They always offered her a shoulder to cry on, they always accompanied her in happy moments. They always listened to each other's problems and gave each other the best advice. They never talked behind their backs and despite the fights they always managed to come to terms with each other between bad words. Each knew the secrets of the other, they confided everything and their passion for art had inextricably linked them. 

They were her best friends and were rejoicing in her success, contrary to what she feared. As soon as they broke away, Rock hit Crystal on the arm, who looked at her in shock. 

\- Ouch, what was that for? - she asked, naively.

\- That was because you wanted to leave without saying anything. Your mother called us - said her friend who had hit her just before. 

\- Why didn't you tell us about it? That's a great thing Crystal - Heidi told her. The girl passed her hand through the dark curls, not knowing how to answer. She only felt anxiety mixed with melancholy inside her and that's what she wanted to avoid. As she tried to answer, her eyes became clear. Crystal was quite sensitive, and it was crushing her a little bit.

\- No, come on, don't cry. It doesn't matter - Jan said, caressing her shoulder. 

\- Crystal, we'll always be with you. You're going to a different school, but that doesn't mean we'll stop being friends with you, we'll try to be friends with you even more. I promise - Jackie told her, her calm voice and her words reassured her. Crystal trusted her friends. 

After that conversation, Rock came out with one of his jokes and they went to class together. That was her last day at LA High School.

  
  
  
  



	2. Two

The Christmas holidays passed quickly and it was time to start from scratch. New school, new teachers, new subjects, new classmates, everything new.

What frightened Crystal the most was that the environment in which she had to fit in was completely foreign to hers. It was a private school with uniforms and full of spoiled, rich kids. Crystal was none of those things and she was fine with it. 

Her father stopped the car in front of the gates and said bye to her warmly before leaving her there. She felt lost for a moment.

Crystal walked toward the entrance, looking around, admiring the refinement of the place. Everybody knew each other, there were small groups to the right and left, some chatting, others just sitting there quietly. She wondered if she too would settle down sooner or later. 

Suddenly, someone touched her shoulder, and Crystal turned quickly. 

\- Hey - said the girl in front of her, with half a smile. She was tall, with blue eyes and long, black hair.

\- Hi, you're... Gigi, right? I'm Crystal, I mean, I think you already know, the new girl... - she said, remembering that Professor Wilson had sent her an e-mail saying that one of the best students would meet her and show her around the school. 

\- Look, new girl - she started.

\- I prefer Crystal - she interrupted her, smiling. The girl didn't seem to care, nodded quickly and continued.

\- I bet you were a hottie in your shitty school, but here at our school...- said Gigi, in a haughty tone. Crystal, however, was not going to let her finish.

\- Wow, what a welcome. You should be in the orientation video - she joked, definitely irritated and uncomfortable. The other one put her hands in her jacket pockets.

\- I've heard about you - she just started.

\- Good things? - asked Crystal, hoping it wouldn't bring up little "inconveniences".

\- You slapped a girl and almost got suspended, so no. I don't want any trouble - Gigi told her, hinting with fake smile. 

\- I'm not a problematic person - she replied, feeling the embarrassment and discomfort grow after her words. Crystal wasn't a problem, she had just stepped forward to protect another girl, even if in the wrong way. She wouldn't get into fights with random people.

\- I don't care, stay away - Gigi gave her a light pat on the shoulder, repeating that annoying smile and leaving.

Crystal tried to stop her, telling her that Miss Wilson had told her that she would have shown her the school, but she pointed to the building and only answered with "The classrooms are in there, good luck". She watched her enter the building, still confused by what had happened to her. 

Her first day was not a success. At first she had got lost a few times and when she asked a girl to show her to room 172, she ignored her and so was late for her first lesson. Crystal even found the bell to have a strange sound, even that sounded snobbish, unbelievable.

In art class, the girl looked for an empty desk. She noticed a small group of girls in the back row, and Gigi was among them. They all looked like they'd come out of magazines, they were all well groomed, made up and combed. 

\- Hi - Crystal said to Gigi. The group turned towards her, staring at her.

\- What have you done new girl? Rough day? - she asked her, almost expecting confirmation of her success in making her first day unpleasant.

\- No, I'm great - she answered, putting her backpack on the front pew. 

\- Are you settling in? - Gigi seemed to have taste in teasing Crystal, but in reality she was just curious to know who she was. 

\- Yes, thanks to a very kind girl who helped me - she smiled, mocking her for her arrogance. Crystal had known girls like Gigi who thought they were the center of the world and bullied other people, and she slapped the last one. 

Crystal couldn't think of anything else but how much she hated that school, and it was only the first day. 

\- Anyway, welcome to County High! - One of the girls in Gigi's group said to her, with a weird accent, but friendly enough... Crystal smiled, and before she could answer, the teacher walked into the classroom and started class. Finally, it was her favorite time. She would listen for hours to the directions Mrs. Wilson was giving to make a canvas using precise materials. 

There was nothing that fascinated her more: a blank canvas, colours and her creativity. In the old school that was just a passion, an afternoon course that she did every Wednesday, nothing more, but now it was one of the main subjects of her studies. She was happy about it.

Her first day ended peacefully unlike the way it had begun. That afternoon Crystal had gone to Jan's house to meet her friends. She needed to tell someone about that day. When the girl arrived, they welcomed her and they mocked her, calling Crystal a snob.

\- Stop it. It wasn't funny. You should have seen me... A fish out of water! - she started out laughing. 

\- How awful! It must have been horrible to finally be in a nice, clean, sophisticated school - Heidi said, rolling her eyes. Jackie tapped her on the shoulder.

\- Don't say that, just tell us what happened sweetie - Jackie intervened. Crystal sat on the sofa among her friends. 

\- I hate that school. I cried three times and in three different bathrooms! I was lonely and they're all assholes, you wouldn't believe... I only liked the art class - shrugged Crystal. 

\- Come on, it's only been a day, you'll get used to it - Jan said. 

\- No... Come back to us, to your old beloved school, give up your dreams Crystal - Rock imitated a ghost and giggled.

\- Don't say that, I’ll do it. Even the bell sounds like an elf's triangle, and after the first two times it became nerve-wracking. Besides, there's already a girl who seems to hate me and she's "the queen bee" - said Crystal almost desperately, resting her forehead on her friend's shoulder. 

\- Ah Cry, we know it's hard for you at your new school, but you're adorable and everyone who gets to know you adores you... It will happen to those people too - Heidi stroked her shoulder. Luckily her friends were still there. 

The following days were even more difficult. For her, that school was impossible, the lessons seemed absurd, the toilets were almost hidden for some strange reason and instead of using the money in the canteen, they used points and honestly she didn't understand the motivation at all. 

While she was arguing with her locker which had decided not to open, a boy approached her, she had never seen him before. He told her to try another combination and when it worked, he told her that she was trying to open his locker instead of hers. Crystal apologized to him, who seemed to be helpful and almost nice. 

\- My name is Chester - he smiled at her and landed her a hand. Crystal held it smiling, finally someone who didn't hate her.

\- I am Crystal - she answered. They began to chat, Chester was a really funny guy, and Crystal had never laughed so much. 

\- And by the way... - the boy didn't have time to finish the sentence that Gigi suddenly appeared, waving at him and then kissing him on the lips. She leaned on him with an almost possessive attitude, standing next to Chester as if she were a model. 

\- Chester! I see you've met the new girl - she pointed lazily and then gave a half smile, the one she hated to death. 

\- I thought your name was Crystal - Chester said, but Crystal didn't have time to reply that Gigi had already greeted her distractedly, dragging her boyfriend away with her. 

\- In fact, my name is Crystal - she thought aloud, looking down. The only person who had been nice to her happened to be the boyfriend of the girl who hated her for who knows what reason. Usually she was ignored and almost had a good time with it, but Gigi didn't miss a chance to pick at her, and if she could, she would have incinerated her with her eyes. Crystal was just hoping that Gigi wouldn't get her in trouble.

The bell suggested it was time for her to go to class. 

In the cafeteria, at lunchtime, she was incredibly hungry, and this time Crystal was prepared, she had her card for the damn points. When the person in charge passed the card, Crystal found out that she had to activate it and that even that day she couldn't have a normal lunch. No one warned her about anything at that school. 

She sat at one of the tables, now discouraged. Where had she gone? Like a mirage, someone handed her a slice of pizza and when she looked up, Chester was there with a whole carton of pizza. He sat down and told her he got the whole pizza just for her. Crystal blessed him, the guy was an angel. 

\- You know, this is gonna sound weird, but actually the girls in visual arts class are glad you're here - Chester said, causing the girl to giggle hysterically.

\- You're right, it seems super weird to me - she shook her head and started eating what she thought was the best pizza in the world.

\- You should have listened to them when they heard that Miss Wilson loved your paintings more than anything else. She's not easy to convince, so I think Gigi feels threatened because you're better at it - he said. Crystal didn't find that was a nice thing to say about his girlfriend, not at all, and she had seen Gigi's creations: she was very, very good, especially in fashion design.

\- You shouldn't talk that way about your girlfriend - she looked at him badly, but when she met his eyes he was amused. 

\- Then I won't tell anyone else - he shrugged his shoulders, and then changed the subject. Aside from his nasty comments, Crystal continued talking to Chester until the end of lunch. Before he said goodbye, he asked her to give him her phone and gave her his number. She smiled embarrassed, but not because he put her in that situation, but because Crystal liked girls and was afraid that Chester had gotten strange ideas. She still let him do it, after all, he was just a friend, her only friend at County High. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second chapter, I hope you like it!


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something changes and we get to know a bit more about Gigi's life.

Crystal had waited for nothing but the weekend, and when it came, she felt she could breathe a sigh of relief. Her first week was gone, many more remained, and she tried to tell herself that they would be better than that first one. 

She devoted those days exclusively to her friends and family. On Friday afternoon she met Jackie at the bar to discuss the final preparations for Rock's surprise birthday party, and in the evening she decided to stay home with her parents to watch a movie together. All that time Chester had been texting her and Crystal had been happy to answer, they were just friends and there was nothing wrong with that. 

On Saturday morning she woke up early, decided to paint the canvas that Miss Wilson had assigned and wanted to do it in the garden. Her mother joined her in the garden a few hours later, sitting on the swing in the shade that she liked so much. Gloria, her mother, loved to sit there and make crocheted purses. It was a strange passion and Crystal teased her saying it was an old woman's thing, but she was actually proud of how she could mould things like that from a simple thread. 

She took her creativity from her. As a child she had taught her the simplest things, and as she grew up Crystal went on by herself, experimenting and practicing a lot, getting better and better. In fact, she was at County High for a reason now. She started out with animal drawings, then all through middle school, she just kept drawing with her favorite One Direction member, until she got to completely different and very complicated subjects. When she looked back and saw how far she had come, what made her smile the most was the people who had supported her art. 

At lunch her father had started cooking as usual and Crystal decided to help him even though she wasn't really good at it. Her father, Stephen, was a wonderful cook.

They looked like the picture of a perfect family, sitting at the table, happy, but it wasn't really like that. Whenever Crystal's sexuality was even accidentally mentioned, they immediately shut her up. They preferred not to talk about it, they even told her not to say anything, they didn't accept that part of her and pretended it didn't exist. When Crystal thought about it, she always ended up crying. The thought of her parents rejecting her like that hurt, and it was made a total shit by the fact that they had such a special relationship as a family that even thinking about losing them, broke her. That's why Crystal couldn't push them away, she couldn't hate them, and in the same way her parents chose to ignore the fact that she was a lesbian rather than hate her. It was a strong love theirs, but not enough to accept their daughter 100%.

In the afternoon Crystal got ready for Rock's party and that night was spent between a glass of gin and tonic and a joint. At Rock's party there were a lot of people, she really had a lot of friends, even if the real ones were few. Jackie had called the best DJ and rented a club big enough for everyone. The night ended around 5:00 a.m. 

Crystal got a message and remembered Chester, who was starting to sound pretty ambiguous for just a friend. She began to feel uncomfortable, but then thought she had to be sober first to figure it out. 

Sunday was a quiet day in which Crystal took her time to study. As the day drew to a close, the more anxiety arose, and Chester's messages only made her nervous. The next day she was supposed to go back to school, and for a moment she wished it was the old one. 

Monday came and Crystal gathered all the strength she had and went to school. She spent the first few hours avoiding her new friend without much difficulty, then came the last hour: physical education. She hated sports, but she had to do it. She went to the locker room, she put on her uniform and then she went on the track. The coach said to start running and do at least two laps. Crystal reluctantly followed the  recommendation and started running. 

Gigi walked beside her, trying to get past her. Crystal ran faster. Gigi did the same. It began a silent challenge to whoever ran the fastest, as if to say who was the strongest of the two. When Gigi noticed she couldn't make it, she pretended she'd fallen.

\- You pushed me! - she exclaimed, grabbing her wrist, pretending to be hurt. 

\- That's not true! You fell all by yourself, I didn't do anything - Crystal fought back, but apparently nobody believed her. The coach sent them both to the principal's office. 

They walked side by side, quietly and at a distance. 

\- You'll both be grounded until you learn to get along - the principal decided.

\- I didn't do anything, she fell on her own - Crystal repeated, spelling out the words, angry. 

\- The others saw you when you pushed me, don't lie - Gigi told her, sighing. 

\- Who? Of course they will say that I pushed you, they are your friends - she answered, raising her eyes to the sky. Gigi was about to answer, but the principal repeated her decision and they both ended up in the punishment room. It was just the two of them, and someone would have checked on them from time to time. 

Crystal sat on the teacher’s desk, Gigi walked in after her. She stopped to look at her. Gigi’s walk was slow and like a model. She had very long legs that Crystal would have found fascinating if only Gigi hadn't been a bitch. Her long hair fell on her shoulders and swayed with her. 

The girl sat on the desk in front of her, legs crossed.

\- I'm sick and tired of this shitty school - Crystal said, more to herself than to the schoolmate in the room. The girl ignored her and took the cell phone out of her backpack. She put the cell phone to her ear and waited for the caller to answer. 

\- Hi, this is Gigi... I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to ask you to watch the baby for an hour or two more... Okay, great. See you later - she finished and then put the phone on the desk where she was sitting. Her voice on the phone had changed, she was kind and not arrogant as usual. Gigi had lost his queenly air and now she looked worried. 

\- The baby? You have a child? - Crystal naively asked her. The girl caught her eye. 

\- I'm not an idiot, but my parents are - she answered her, starting to let her guard down. 

\- Hey, so are mine - smiled Crystal, trying to be as friendly as possible. Gigi seemed more than just a rich girl, and she was proving it.

\- I don't think your parents are leave for work for days or weeks, leaving you with a brother to raise - she said, looking down at her hands. Crystal got up from where she was sitting and approached her. As much as she didn't like Gigi, she was quite empathetic. 

\- I'm sorry - that was all she felt like saying to her. Gigi thanked her and then remained silent. Crystal could see she was thinking,so she walked away and went to the bookcase in the room to snoop around. She had no idea how long they would be silent, so it was best to keep busy. 

\- Why are your parents such idiots? - her voice resounded in the room. Crystal turned to look at Gigi, confused. Their eyes met, and it was as if they were really looking at each other for the first time.

\- What? - she asked her. Gigi was sitting facing her now.

\- Earlier you said that your parents are idiots too... how come? - the girl explained. Crystal didn't know what to say. She was afraid that if she told her the real reason, she'd start telling people and a chain of unpleasant events would break out. She didn't even want to lie to her. I mean, she'd been honest. Crystal decided to tell half the truth.

\- I... They don't accept my bisexuality - it was the first thing that came into her mind. It was wrong to hide, but she had to protect herself. Gigi smiled.

\- I didn't know - she told her, in a tone that sounded like a "Thank you for trusting me".

\- How could you? You don't talk to me - Crystal raised her eyebrows, amused. At last she saw the other one's eyes lose that veil of sadness.

\- Of course I do, how else could I offend you? - she laughed and Crystal joined in. Maybe they weren't so different after all. Maybe they could have been friends. They started joking about their first meeting, and soon after, they talked as if they'd known each other forever, as if they'd never hated each other. 

\- Can I tell you something? - Gigi asked, placing her hands on her new friend's lap. Crystal nodded and waited for her to go on. - Your mullet's great. I love it. You've got great hair - she said. 

Crystal was surprised, only a few people had complimented her. 

\- Oh God, thank you! Now you're complimenting me too, I can't believe it - her response caused a laugh from Gigi. They went in a matter of few minutes from enemies to friends. Crystal felt calm, and Gigi gave her some confidence. She was much closer to her reality than anyone else at that school, and perhaps that was what probably had led Gigi to be mean to Crystal at first. But it didn't matter now.

An hour later, their PE teacher had gone to make sure they hadn't killed each other. To her surprise, the girls seemed to be friends, so she decided to let them go home. They both took their backpacks and left the classroom together, which had forced them to get to know each other better. 

Gigi said goodbye to Crystal, promising to be in touch with her often. The other one smiled and said she'd wait. In fact, Gigi couldn't wait to write to her with any excuse. She had so many friends, but none of them really knew her, she had never told any of them about her situation at home, they knew nothing about Gigi except superficial things and some of them were not even true. Even Chester, her boyfriend, didn't really know anything about her. They were only together for convenience, but neither of them had ever thought of leaving the other, it was fine. Gigi was trapped in a world that didn't belong to her, and Crystal had come to break up that made-up life, who knows, to make it better.

Gigi, once home, discovered that her parents had returned. She hadn't seen them for two weeks. 

They were sitting in the living room, and her brother was playing with them. He was still a baby, obviously he couldn't understand. As soon as the little one saw her, he ran towards her, Gigi lowered himself to welcome him into her arms. 

Her parents greeted her, happy to see her, even though they knew that Gigi would not welcome them in the same way. 

\- Hello, darling - his mother said to her. 

\- Hi - she answered, trying to keep calm in front of her brother. Gigi would have wanted to start shouting, telling them that a message would have been enough. But once again, she had to be an adult. 

\- We ordered dinner, we were waiting for you - her father said. They sat down at the table, which, that evening unlike those before, had not been set by her. Ethan sat next to his father, who fed him and made him laugh. Gigi looked at them and couldn't help thinking how the baby would cry when one morning Mom and Dad would take another flight without warning. 

To distract her, it was the screen of her cell phone that lit up. 

_ Sorry, but I couldn't wait  _

_ I miss your insults - Crystal M. _

Gigi smiled and felt more relaxed. Her mother noticed her slight change in mood and thought she could start a conversation with her, maybe her daughter would pay attention to her for once.

\- How is school going Gigi? - she asked a curious question. The girl looked up to meet her mother's eyes. 

\- It's okay, I get pretty good grades. You know, with a child to raise it's difficult to study, but I can organize myself well - she answered, gesturing with a fork in her hand. Her mother remained silent for a few seconds, but she didn't give up.

\- What about your friends? How is... Jane? - she tried to guess the name of one of her friends, and it started to look ridiculous.

\- Her name is Jaida, and it's none of your business - said Gigi, annoyed. Then another question came up that was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

\- Is Ethan any good at school? Is he good with the other kids? - she looked at her son for a short while and then she was called back by Gigi's hands tapping on the table.

\- You know, mom, Ethan still has to start school because he's three years old. Four in two months if you want to send him a gift in time from who knows what European city. But if you acted like real parents instead of disappearing from one day to the next for a long time, you'd know - Gigi raised her voice. Now her father was listening to her too. 

\- You can't talk to us like that. We're still your parents and you don't lack the money to live more than well seeing the expensive shoes you're wearing - her mother replied, standing up as her daughter. 

\- I'll tell you two things mom: the first is that these shoes were given to me by my boyfriend, of course you couldn't know that either. The second thing is that a three-year-old boy needs love, warmth and joy, not money. Me too - those were the last words that came out of her mouth that night. As Gigi was leaving the room, Ethan's little voice called out to her. She came back, picked him up, and he curled up on her shoulder. She went up the stairs and once in her room, she locked the door to keep her parents from entering without warning. 

Gigi sat on the bed, Ethan was still clinging to her like a little monkey. Her little brother was everything to her. It was just the two of them against everything. She felt she had to protect him no matter what. She tried not to cry, but the little one made it hard when he looked at her with those big eyes and then said "I love you" with that little voice of his. Gigi smiled at him and a tear ran down her face, but she dried it promptly and decided it wasn't time. 

She helped Ethan put on his pajamas and then read him a story to put him to sleep. He usually slept in her bed, but that night she let him stay with her. 

_ Hi. Sorry I didn't answer sooner...  _

_ My parents are back - Gigi G. _

Gigi didn't know why, but she felt the need to tell Crystal.

_ Was it that bad? - Crystal M. _

_ You have no idea - Gigi G.  _

_ You didn't kill anybody, did you? _

_ I think my dad has a shovel in the backyard if you need it - Crystal M. _

_ LOL no, it's just me in prison to leave Ethan alone - Gigi G. _

Crystal stared at the message for a while, not knowing what to reply... It was just a joke.

_ Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so bitchy - Gigi G. _

_ Don't worry, I can't even imagine how you feel. _

_ Do you want to go to school together in the morning?  _

_ Maybe I can cheer you up - Crystal M. _

_ That'd be great. _

_ I'll send you the address - Gigi G. _

No one had ever done anything like this for her, ever. Crystal was the first to treat her with such gentleness and understanding, and she knew her very little. She sent her the address and the message that followed, made Gigi sleep with a smile.

_ I'm sure you're a great sister. Don't worry too much about what your parents say. _

_ Good night :) - Crystal M. _

_ Thank you, Crystal _

_ Good night - Gigi G.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter three! Enjoy <3


	4. Four

The next morning Gigi woke up and went down to the kitchen. Waiting for her there was a ticket and an envelope. Her parents had left again, promising to come back early and finish the speech they were having the night before. In the envelope they had left the usual monthly money. 

Gigi was not surprised, at all, and began to get dressed. Crystal had written her not to have breakfast, so she only made it for Ethan. Gigi woke up her brother and helped him get dressed too, so he was ready as soon as the babysitter arrived.

As they came downstairs, they heard a knock on the door. 

\- I'm coming! - Gigi said, and sent Ethan to the kitchen. She opened the door, and Crystal was there with a bright smile. 

\- Help is here, Miss - she said, showing her two huge cappuccinos and some pieces of cake in a box. Gigi put her hands over her mouth, amazed. She let her in and they went into the kitchen where Ethan was waiting, watching cartoons. The child looked at Crystal and then waved to her with his little hand. Crystal did the same thing, trying not to intimidate him too much.

\- He's really cute - she said, resting what she had brought on the table. Gigi invited her to sit down and then told Ethan to do the same. 

\- Don't let him fool you, he's a little pest - Gigi laughed. The girls started having breakfast together, starting to chat. The “parents” argument wasn't touched and Crystal was fine with it, she was there to cheer up her friend and couldn't force her to talk about it if she didn't want to. They spent that half hour totally carefree and realized it was time to go when the babysitter arrived. 

Gigi kissed her little brother on the forehead and Crystal waved goodbye to him, asking him to remember to tell her how the cartoon on TV was going to end. 

On the way to school, Gigi finally unbuttoned.

\- Thank you for this morning, you brought us a lot of joy, we needed it. As you may have noticed, they vanished within 24 hours - she shook her head as she walked. 

\- I'm sorry, really. For them I mean... They're missing the lives of two fantastic people - Crystal answered her honestly. She had found Ethan a really cute kid and Gigi was so nice and smart. 

Gigi stopped and gave her a big hug. Her words meant a lot. 

\- I feel like you're the only friend I have - she said. Crystal hugged her back and told her that she had other people besides her, but she would be there for her anyway. 

Gigi confessed to her that Chester didn't know about her family either, and that she often pretended to be like everyone else at that school. 

Crystal promised her she wouldn't say anything to anyone, and they arrived at school together shortly afterwards. 

In the yard, Chester walked up to them surprised. 

\- I can’t believe it! I knew you'd like each other - he exclaimed amused. Gigi and Crystal greeted him smilingly. The two girls stood next to each other.

\- They locked us in detention together and it could have ended with Gigi strangling me with her chic scarf, or with a friendship - Crystal laughed.

\- It was one of my favorite scarves, so I let it go - she shrugged and then she and Chester laughed too. 

\- Hey, in case you decide to have sex, don't forget me - the boy winked and got a slap on the arm from Gigi and a nice middle finger from Crystal. 

\- Yeah, whatever - Gigi replied and then she surrounded Crystal's waist with one arm, and Crystal put hers around her shoulders. Embraced in that way they disappeared, leaving the boy alone and going to class. For the first three hours they had the same lessons, so they continued to spend time together. At that time, Gigi introduced Crystal to her friends. She had memorized their names and associated them with one of their characteristics: Nicky was the fashionable French girl, Widow was a little grumpy but nice, Jaida had such beautiful and precise makeup and finally Dahlia was the sexy girl. Now Crystal was part of them. They were all very happy to have met her and asked her a thousand questions. Crystal realized that the saying "You can't judge a book by its cover" was true. 

The rest of the school day passed quickly and so did the following days. Crystal finally settled in and she and Gigi became more and more friends.

One afternoon Crystal had to meet her friends at the park. They had all been very busy with their studies and had been home most of the week. It seemed a little strange to Crystal, she remembered that her old teachers had never assigned so much homeworks. 

When she arrived at the colorful bench in front of the swings where they always saw each other, Crystal sat down and waited. Ten minutes passed, then fifteen, then twenty. The girl wrote to her friends asking where they were, no one answered. She waited again and it was at least forty minutes before Crystal knew no one was coming. 

She felt like an idiot and wondered what made her "friends" do such a thing. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't get off that bench. 

\- Crystal? - she heard and immediately raised her head, hoping to find her friends. 

\- Gigi... - smiled. Seeing Gigi was ten times better than seeing her friends. She sat down next to her. Crystal noticed little Ethan on the swing. 

\- What are you doing here? - asked Gigi to the other one, inspecting her sad air. 

\- Ah, I don't even know - she sighed, a little crying. Gigi approached her, making her rest on her shoulder. They remained silent for a while, at least until peace returned to Crystal. 

\- I was supposed to meet my friends, the old school ones - she confessed. Gigi had heard her talk a lot about them, how they were friends since the beginning of high school, how nice they were, but now she just thought they were a bunch of bitches. 

\- You know what? Help has arrived, Miss - Gigi smiled at her, repeating the words from a few mornings earlier. Crystal looked up at her and thanked her. The long-haired girl stood up and pulled up the other one, calling out her little brother. The idea was to get a giant ice cream for all three of them. 

Ethan spent the walk to the kiosk telling Crystal the end of the cartoon. The boy remembered and kept the information in mind until then. He had made some things up, but the girl listened attentively, pretending to be surprised at the twists and turns. Gigi giggled, holding hands with both of them, in the middle. 

That change of plans was the best ever. 

Almost at dinnertime they decided to go back to Crystal's house and order a pizza, for her parents there wasn’t no problem. On the way there, something caught the attention of the curly-haired girl. 

\- Ugly bitches - Crystal came out, getting a call from Gigi for the bad word. She apologized and then told her to stay there for a second. The girl headed off to the screaming and called out the name of one of her friends. The group shut up, but nobody turned to face her. 

She came up to them, angry.

\- You guys are bitches. We were supposed to spend the afternoon together and instead you shut me out - she started to raise her voice. 

\- We didn't get any messages and we ran into each other. Don't get angry. We called you, you didn't answer - Jan answered, but her guilty look and her apologies didn't convince Crystal one bit. 

\- No, you didn't. The truth is, you didn't want me, and you didn't want to see me even the days before. You know what? Now I've found better friends than you - she exclaimed, going back to Gigi. 

\- Okay! It's true. We don't want you around anymore. You've changed, and we don't like you anymore - Heidi told her, and that broke Crystal’s heart. She was angrier than she'd ever been in her life. 

\- You could have just told me, you know? Change is part of human beings, and maybe I'm not the one who's changed, you are. I don't know these people - she pointed at them, with tears in her eyes. What did they mean by telling her that? What were they saying? She was wondering who those people were for real. 

\- Go away Crystal - Jackie of all people, kicked her out. Jackie knew her the longest. They'd been neighbors forever. Crystal didn't say a word. Her heart was really broken. She felt something pull on her jacket and found herself next to little Ethan.

\- Gigi told to save you - the baby smiled at her, not even knowing what it meant. He, as far as he could, took her hand and began to pull her away. Crystal followed him, and when she met the look on her new friend's face, she mimicked a thank you with her lips. Gigi's face, surrounded by long dark hair, was sorry, but she had a reassuring smile on her rosy lips. 

This time it was Crystal who was between the two, holding her hands. They went home and luckily Ethan always knew how to tell his favorite stories and make them laugh a little. 

As soon as they entered the house, they heard Gloria and Stephen humming together from the kitchen. 

The girls greeted them and they welcomed the two guests very kindly. They loved having guests. Her father was cooking one of his specialties, helped by her mother. 

\- What a smell - said Gigi, sitting in a chair with Ethan in his arms. Crystal stood behind her, leaning against the back of the chair. She was still down, but the people in that room were able to relieve things. 

\- Have you ever tasted Gorditas, Gigi? - asked Gloria smiling, laying bowls of Mexican hot sauce on the table. 

\- Honestly, no - she answered, curious to know what they were. Stephen came up with two round trays and on them was that famous dish. They were loaves of cornmeal and they were filled with meat, cheese and other endless ingredients. 

\- Come on! Bon appetite and no compliments - laughed the man, then handed Ethan a much smaller gordita. - And this is for you little man - he smiled and messed up his hair. They started to eat and the two guests seemed very satisfied with the Mexican food. 

During dinner the weather in the room was quite warm and lively. Crystal's parents were adorable chatters and Gigi felt welcomed. It was as if she had known the family for centuries, but only two hours had passed. 

\- I think we have to go now - smiled Gigi, noticing her brother's yawning, just before dessert. 

\- And the dessert? - Gloria asked her. 

\- Mom, I'll bring her dessert to school tomorrow, so she won't miss it - Crystal intervened, fearing that her friend would burst from too much food. The family said goodbye to the two, and Crystal walked them to the door. 

\- Sure you don't want a ride? You live two blocks away, there’s no problem - the friend offered, but knowing the other's answer, she just took the car keys and went out with her. 

\- You didn't have to, but thank you very much. You know, I had a great time, and... I'm sorry about what happened with your friends, are you sure you're okay? - Gigi said, as soon as Crystal stopped the car in front of her house. 

\- It's okay. It's the least I could do. I... I'm fine, yeah, and it's because of you Gi - she nodded and smiled. There was a moment of silence, in which Gigi's hand landed on the other one's. 

\- Let's make a promise, put your forehead on mine - the girl settled on the seat. 

\- Did you just make that up? - Crystal giggled and followed the instructions, resting her forehead on Gigi's. 

\- Exactly - they laughed together. - From now on, we're best friends and we'll always be there for each other -

\- I promise - Crystal answered and their smiles turned into silence. A silence in which their lips seemed to be drawn to each other and their eyes were mixing. 

One moment, one intense moment. 

Their lips were almost touching when a verse from Ethan, asleep in the back seat, brought them back to reality. They detached themselves embarrassed and greeted each other quickly, with nervous laughter. 

Gigi thought about that moment all night long and Crystal found herself in the same situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting serious!!! I really hope everyone is enjoying the story :)


	5. Five

The days went by and now what had happened in the car hadn't even been talked about. Crystal had begun to see Gigi with different eyes, but she thought it wasn't the same for her friend since she was Chester’s girlfriend. From that day on, Gigi spent less and less time with him, and more and more with Crystal. 

Chester, however, was always around and sometimes he even joined the girls for a movie on the couch. Crystal didn't mind the situation and she was having a quiet time with her friends.

\- Nicky forced me to have quinoa for lunch, ugh now I'm hungrier than before - Crystal went into the room where Gigi and Chester were having their lunch together. The two of them looked at each other and giggled.

\- Why didn't you get pizza? - her friend asked her, knowing how much she liked it. Crystal sat down at the table with them. 

\- Because in this school pizza looks like a moldy cracker, Gi - she answered, causing Chester to laugh. 

\- We finally found something you snob for too, new girl - he made fun of her and that costed him a bad look. 

\- You're used to this crap, the best pizza in the world is only made at Don's - Crystal smiled and Gigi immediately proposed to go there to eat it all together that night. Luckily for "everyone", Gigi meant the group of her friends plus Chester, who by now were also Crystal's friends. At first it didn't seem like a bad idea.

That evening, in Don's pizzeria, Crystal felt she was no longer in the enemy camp. She had always played outside the house, and now she could finally feel more comfortable. 

The boys sat around the table and let Crystal order for everyone, since she was the expert. While they waited, everyone was talking to each other. Dahlia had started talking about her last vacation in Paris, and Nicky had immediately begun to provide curiosity about France to the rest of the world. Although they were fun, Crystal found them quite interesting in their own way.

\- This will kill you... In France it is forbidden to call a pig Napoleon - Nicky said, making everyone laugh really hard. Nobody was able to stop.

\- If you're making fun of me, you have to tell me, I'm about to lose a lung - Widow could talk through the laughter. Nicky confirmed that although it sounded absurd, that was a real law. 

\- Child, in Alabama, it's illegal to walk around with an ice cream cone in your back pocket! What are you surprised about? - Jaida started it.

\- Who the hell puts ice cream in their back pocket? - Chester said, skeptic. 

\- Well surely someone in Alabama, honey - Jaida said. Between laughter and gossip, the food finally came. They ate slowly and Gigi admitted Crystal was right. The two of them were sitting so close together at dinner, that there wasn't an inch of room between them. They sat next to each other, talking and laughing. Chester looked at them strangely, but they didn't even notice because they had almost isolated themselves in a different world. 

At the end of the evening everyone said goodbye to each other and promised to repeat a dinner like that again. 

\- Are you coming with us? - Gigi asked Crystal, pointing to Chester's car. 

\- I think I'm going to walk - she smiled, hoping deep down that Gigi would join her, so they could walk together. Unfortunately it didn't happen, and the girl wished her good night, getting into her boyfriend's car. 

Once home, Gigi found herself having to deal with herself. Shortly before, in the car, Chester had started kissing her and she noticed that it seemed pleasant. And yet as her boyfriend put his lips on hers, all she could think about was Crystal. 

She felt terribly guilty, and she didn't even know for whom. Gigi liked her boyfriend, but Crystal had captured her by only placing her forehead on hers. In fact, from that day on, Gigi had been thinking and thinking and thinking. She had begun to notice little thoughts in her brain that had frightened her, and they all concerned her friend. But what drove her crazy was that she felt she had feelings for Chester, as she had always done. Gigi was quite lost.

On the other hand, so was Crystal. Gigi had been distant for a few days and had suddenly returned as affectionate as she once was all of a sudden. But she had half a clue what she was feeling. Crystal got attached to people quickly, and even faster she got crushes. Well, she was on the right track. She was starting to bond with Gigi in a deeper way and it all started the weekend before.

The girl had stayed over. Her parents had come back, and after a bad fight, Gigi had taken refuge with her. 

Crystal had lent her one of the sweatshirts she used to sleep in and hugged her until the other, at that fragile moment, fell asleep. Gigi didn't cry, she just let herself go to her friend's comfortable arms in silence. 

\- Can I tell you something? - Crystal asked her, quietly speaking. Gigi nodded, still clinging to her. 

\- That time in detention... I didn't tell you the whole truth. I don't know why I feel like telling you right now, and I think I'd die if I didn't - she stopped, waiting for some sign from Gigi. She looked up, paying attention.

\- I like girls, just girls... I mean... I'm a lesbian, not bisexual - Crystal bit her lip. Gigi put her hand on her face, caressed it and smiled at her. 

\- I will always love you immeasurably - those were the last words she heard from Gigi that night. Crystal had given her a bright smile and that feeling of being accepted was really beautiful. She began to caress the other one's very long hair and they fell asleep like that. 

The feeling that Crystal felt while having her so close, made her realize that soon her feelings would begin to become more and more real. And maybe all she could do was watch Gigi be happy with someone else.

Things took a wrong turn on Sunday after dinner at the pizza place. Gigi had gone to her house after another fight with her parents, who had strangely been home for over a week. Crystal had decided to comfort her by building a fort. She remembered when Gigi told her that she felt safe in there as a child. 

They had stretched out inside the small building and started telling scary stories. 

\- Oh God stop it, I'm terrified - Gigi said at one point, clinging to Crystal's arm.

\- Yes you're right, I'm too scared - she answered, laughing.

\- Thank you for building this fort and for reading me stories that scared the shit out of me to keep my mind busy - Gigi said, lying next to her friend.

\- We can stay here forever if you want. We take lessons online, pee in bottles... we can grow old here and take two cats - she said, joking. 

\- Crystal - after a second of silence, Gigi turned towards her - I may look like a loser but you are definitely my best friend - Crystal smiled and stood on her side, to look at her better.

\- For real? - she asked, hinting a smile.

\- Yeah... Don't you think it's absurd since we've only known each other for such a short time? - Gigi had a relaxed face and started playing with a lock of the other girl’s curly hair.

\- No, because you are to me too - they both smiled. That moment of intimacy had come back between the two of them and this time they both sat down and started to do something else, but without ever breaking that thing between them. They had started playing clap hands after Crystal made a little joke about it. 

They heard a knock on the door a few minutes later. Crystal joked that it was a serial killer.

\- No... I texted Chester - admitted Gigi. 

\- Nooo, he’ll ruin our girls' night out - said Crystal discouraged, and her friend apologized, and told her they could pretend they weren't home. The curly-haired girl said out loud that there was no one in the house, causing an "Open up, you idiots" from Chester outside the door.

\- He will mock us to death over the fort - Gigi covered her face with her hands, giggling. 

\- Males ruin everything - she looked up at Crystal, then agreed to let him in. Gigi proposed to watch a movie and so they did. The boy fell asleep on the couch within an hour. Gigi had held Crystal's hand the whole time. The movie was a comedy, so there was no need to hold hands, but they both wanted to. They both wanted to hold hands. Gigi wished she'd never sent the message to Chester and could be alone with Crystal. 

The attraction between the two had grown out of all proportion in the air. There was a game of looking at each other, one looking at the other while laughing and then vice versa, believing they were not seen. Then their looks met. They smiled at each other. 

\- Will you get me a glass of water? - Gigi had her head resting on the shoulder of the other one, who had an arm wrapped around her. Crystal nodded and they both stood up, leaving Chester there. 

Gigi had laid her hands on the counter, waiting for her to get water, even though what she was thinking about was something else. 

Crystal came up to her, handed her the glass. 

\- Come closer, your hair's a mess...- said Gigi. Crystal came closer and the other one started to fix her curls. Her hands slipped from the top of her head, then to the back of her neck, until her hair fell back on her shoulders. Her touch was delicate and gentle, so gentle that Crystal was shivering as she watched her concentrate. Her bright eyes seemed to glow in the darkness of the kitchen, and she found it adorable how her lips had bent into an almost imperceptible smile when she finished. 

Gigi rested her gaze on Crystal's face only after she had fixed her curls. Their glances crossed and it was as if their bodies followed an order, or rather almost a distant prayer, that they had given each other. 

"Please kiss me."

"I hope she kisses me" 

Crystal put her hand on Gigi's cheek and left a gentle kiss on her lips. This was followed by other little moulded kisses, as if they were afraid to go too far. 

Gigi had her hands on Crystal's hips. Between one kiss and another they smiled, never letting too much time pass, as if they were afraid it was a dream. 

Crystal thought Gigi's lips were soft, so soft that the clouds envied them. 

Gigi thought Crystal's lips should have been in the Louvre. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After untucked... I had to.   
> Hope you enjoyed the fifth chapter!


	6. Six

The moonlight illuminated the room. Gigi and Crystal enjoyed their moment. No questions, no words. Just their breaths. 

Gigi was half sitting on the counter, Crystal was between her legs, her forehead resting on the other one's. It seemed like they were back in that car at that exact moment. 

Gigi smiled, enjoying the scent of the girl so close to her. Crystal's blue eyes almost seemed to glow.

When Gigi realized what she wanted to do, she nodded to the other girl to wait where she was. She went into the living room, slowly shook Chester and told him that he had to leave because Crystal's parents would come back the next morning and that seeing him there they would be furious. The boy nodded sleepy, took a few minutes to recover and left quietly. 

Crystal had watched them from the doorframe, fearing that Gigi had changed her mind, fearing that she would leave with him. But she didn't. Gigi stayed. 

Crystal took her hand, took her to her room. 

The girls layed in bed, Crystal caressed Gigi's cheeks, barely touching them. She smiled at her touch and left soft kisses on the corner of her lips or on them. 

That night they hugged each other, falling asleep amidst the caresses and kisses.

The next morning, the noise of the door downstairs scared Crystal. When she turned around, she expected to find Gigi, perhaps still asleep at her side. But she wasn't there. 

Crystal began to think that it had been a dream, that maybe it hadn't been true. She was just trying to hide from herself that Gigi had just left her alone. 

It almost made her cry. She felt like an idiot. 

-Good morning. - her voice resounded in the room. Gigi was there, still in her clothes from the night before.

-Good morning - replied Crystal, who dried her eyes right away. Gigi threw herself on the bed next to her.

-Are you all right? - she asked her, putting a lock of hair behind her ear. 

-I thought you'd left - she answered truthfully. Gigi found it adorable the way Crystal had just blushed. 

-I could never - she smiled at her, leaving a light kiss on her lips. Unfortunately, they couldn't stay in bed a second longer or they would have been late for school. Gigi realized she didn't have her uniform and Crystal lent Gigi her spare. The girl went to get dressed in the bedroom bathroom. As soon as she was done, Crystal was ready. Downstairs they found no one and snuck out of the house, deciding to take breakfast on the way. 

On the way to school, Gigi held her hand, as if nothing had happened. Crystal held her hand and thought she couldn't ask for anything better. When they got to school, however, Gigi let go of her hand and her behavior began to change. The girl joined her friends who were outside the fashion design class. At that point, Gigi didn't even talk to her anymore. Crystal decided to leave for science class, even though there were ten minutes to go before classes began. She greeted the others, pausing to look at Gigi, who had greeted her shyly. 

Crystal shook her head and left. She didn't like the sudden change of heart, but she understood. Gigi had a boyfriend and certainly a reputation she didn't want to give up. Despite this Crystal began to doubt that what had happened the night before was only a game to her, a one-night stand, a moment in the past. Crystal, on the other hand, was getting lost in her feelings for Gigi, not knowing what to do. 

The day got worse when Gigi started avoiding her even during the hours they had together. When it came time for art class, Crystal came in late. She saw that her classmates were gathered around someone's painting. Nicky and Dahlia were there too, looking very worried. 

The first one met the look on Crystal's face as she approached. At that moment the French girl gasped and everyone turned to her. 

Crystal knew something was wrong and when she recognized her painting, a twinge ran through her chest. She had spent weeks painting that canvas, she had put her heart into it and now there was an inscription painted red on it. "Lesbian whore" it said. Crystal stood there to look at it, her eyes got all shiny. Nobody did anything, everybody just stared at her. 

Gigi entered the classroom just as Crystal was running away, taking the ruined canvas with her, out of everyone's sight. It had blown away like a bolt of lightning, without even looking at Gigi. 

\- What's going on? - Miss Wilson stood beside Gigi at the door. The boys sat in their seats while the teacher asked for explanations. It was Dahlia who spoke, the only one who had the courage, even if late.

\- Some asshole wrote a horrible insult on Crystal's canvas - she said, regardless of the words she was using. 

\- What? What did they write? - Gigi immediately turned to Nicky and Dahlia's desk. Next to her should have been Crystal. Nicky looked at her sorry. 

\- I think it said "whore" and "lesbian" - the French girl answered. Gigi raised her hand asking if she could go find her friend. Inside her, anxiety, anger and sadness had risen. She had to find her, Crystal needed her. She went outside the classroom to look for her as soon as she gained permission. She wandered through the corridors and the toilets, calling her name. Gigi knew exactly who did it. 

Crystal meanwhile had run to the bathroom on the top floor, the least frequented one. She was trying to wash away the paint that was still not very fresh. Some parts of the words had gone, but most of the red paint had remained. Crystal had begun to cry. She couldn't even think straight. She kept reading those words and the shame and humiliation had taken hold of her. She wiped her hands lightly wet and dirty with paint in her hair, trying to catch her breath. 

\- Crystal! - she recognized Gigi's voice calling out to her. Crystal remained silent, blaming her for what had happened. No one knew but her. It couldn't have been anyone else but Gigi. She wondered why, why her. 

Gigi started knocking on every bathroom door, desperate. 

"Crystal needs me," she kept thinking. When she knocked on the right door, she knew it from the shudder she heard from the other girl. 

\- Crystal open up, it's me. It's Gigi - she told her trying to open the door without success. Crystal didn't answer, she just cried louder. Gigi had betrayed her and teased her. There was no other explanation. It was all done to make fun of her and her sensitivity. She wondered if she even pretended to be her friend. 

\- Crystal, I know you're in there. Please open up - Gigi knocked again, worried. Her heart was beating so fast, like she'd run for miles. The fact that some asshole was picking on her like that hurt her too. Hearing her sobbing through the door and not being able to hold on to her, hit her right to the soul. 

Gigi kept begging her and Crystal cried harder and harder. 

\- I'm not leaving you here. Until you open up, I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving you alone, there is no way, Crystal - Gigi said desperately at last. It was then that the sound of the hook closing the door made her realize that Crystal was letting her in. 

When she saw her face lined with tears, her heart went straight into her stomach. Gigi closed the door behind her. Crystal just stood there staring at her. She looked at the ruined painting. Gigi held her tight. 

Crystal had let herself go to her, despite her disappointment. Gigi was the poison and the antidote at the same time. 

Gigi stroked her back and her hair, doing everything she could to calm her down, until Gigi succeeded. She closed the toilet seat and sat her down, took a tissue and wet it. She walked up to Crystal and refreshed her face with the tissue with one hand, while the other hand held Crystal’s hand. Gigi looked at her, studied her face, trying to understand what was going through her head. Crystal kept her eyes closed, while her warm skin was being refreshed by Gigi. That moment of calm made her breathe again. 

\- I promise I'll find that piece of shit, I swear I will... - Gigi started but Crystal stopped her, putting her hand on her cheek and covering her lips with her thumb. 

\- It doesn't matter - she answered with a little voice. Gigi put both of her hands on Crystal's. They looked into each other's eyes. 

When Crystal felt she could go back to class, they came out of the bathroom. Gigi held her hand and carried the canvas in the other one. Miss Wilson met them in the hallway and walked them to the principal's office. 

Crystal gasped and clutched at Gigi when she saw her parents sitting in the office. Miss Wilson held the painting now and placed it on the principal's desk, who looked at it horrified at the insults. Her parents hadn't said a word, they just looked at it. Crystal feared their reaction at that moment more than ever.

\- We can't do anything without a responsible, I'm sorry - said the principal. Gigi's face turned red with anger. They wouldn't even try to find the guilty one. They were letting an act of bullism pass. Before the girl could say anything, Crystal's father punched the desk. "There," she thought, "Now he's gonna start insulting me, too."

\- I will not let whoever did this get away with it. You have a duty to teach the students life as well as English, history and mathematics. You should teach them what's right and what isn't. Any kid who would think well of insulting a poor girl just because she is herself should be found and punished. If you won't do it, we will - Stephen turned around to look at his little girl when he said his last words. It was an implied way of telling her that he'd always been wrong about her. His mother supported him. The principal had her back to the wall and promised the two of them that she would find who had written those things. Crystal was allowed to go home with her parents and they left the office together. Gigi was still holding her hand.

\- Thank you, Gigi - Gloria turned to the girl smiling. 

\- I didn't do anything special... Crystal needed me, and I was there - she looked briefly at the woman next to them, and then she went back to Crystal's face. The girls hugged each other, and Gigi promised her she'd come by that afternoon. 

Crystal went home with herparents. Her father decided they'd sit down and talk around the table. 

\- Crystal, what happened today made me think - he began seriously - From the first time you told us that, well, that you liked girls... We always treated you with contempt and yes, with disgust sometimes. I always pretended it was nothing, I always hid that side of you from myself, exploding when you had the courage to show it to me. Looking at the painting I had seen you doing with care, day after day, ruined by two big flaming red insults made me think that I did the same thing to you. You showed us yourself, the real you, and we branded you with our contempt. Before, I really thought I wasn't doing anything wrong as a parent, but now I see clearly what a horrible father I was - his father stopped for a moment, carrying a hand on his lips. Her mother was crying, clearly her sensitivity had taken it from her. 

\- It makes me a little angry that it took you such a gesture to make you understand what you were doing to me. Every time we fought about it I always told you and yelled at you that you were hurting me, and yet you only heard it when someone else did what you were doing. You know, I was terrified of you, of the reaction you'd get at the office or here at home. I was scared to death of you, and a son shouldn't be afraid of his parents - Crystal said, not being able to look at them yet. 

\- What were you afraid of? - her father asked her.

\- I was afraid you were going to insult me too. We always loved each other, but this thing, which you always considered a problem, prevented us from going any further. We always stood still, me waiting to go off to college and live free and you pretending. I just hope your words dad are true, that you won't change your mind tomorrow or in the days to come. I want to be who I am and I want you to be happy for me - Crystal bit her lip. 

\- We make you a promise: from now on, no more hate in this house. We will be 100% committed and we will be happy to welcome into this family whoever you choose to love and we will also be happy to see you live as you wish - Stephen smiled at her and held out his hands, one towards his daughter and one towards his wife, waiting for the two of them to hold them. Gloria was the first to do so, and then Crystal, after a moment's thought, did the same. A hug followed, and then her mother, laughing, asked her if Gigi was her girlfriend. 

Crystal was blushing to death, saying she wasn't. Even though in her head she was wishing she was. 

Gigi went back to class, thinking about Crystal. By lunchtime, she knew just who to go to. 

\- Chester! - she called him from down the hall while the boy headed for the cafeteria. He turned to say hi. 

\- Hello beautiful - he smiled. Gigi walked up to him, angry. The boy's gaze suggested it was really him. 

\- Why the fuck would you do something like that? - she said to him.

\- Do you think I'm stupid, Gigi? - he asked her, arms crossed. 

\- Honestly? Yeah, I think you're a complete idiot. Now explain to me - Gigi looked at him sternly.

\- I saw her courting you. All those well-studied little mouths and phrasing - the boy had a disgusted face. 

\- You don't know shit, Chester. Nothing justifies you doing such things - she said. He ran his hand through his hair, giggling.

\- It excuses me that you're my girlfriend, Gigi. If she was a guy, I'd have punched her a few times already, but you know, hitting a woman is not my style - as soon as he finished the sentence, Gigi slapped him right in the face. 

\- Don't even think that shit about her or anyone. You're an animal and I'm not a fucking object. You wanna know something? We're nothing from now on. You don't even have to look at me accidentally anymore. This whole boyfriend thing can't go on. I don't love you - the girl kept a firm, strict tone, wanted to prove he was worthless. 

\- Don't worry, I'd already dumped you on my own Gigi. Take care - he turned around and left. Gigi shook her head, Chester couldn't have made a bigger fool of himself. After getting confirmation that he did it, the girl told the principal, who thanked her. 

Gigi never stopped thinking about Crystal. Seeing her like that broke her in two. That morning she treated her badly, pushing her away and avoiding her. Gigi didn't even know why she was acting like that and she was feeling like shit. If she'd stayed by Crystal's side, things might have turned out differently. The fact was that no one had ever been able to provoke feelings and emotions so strong in her that shook her from the inside out. Gigi felt her heart burst with joy when she looked at her, her eyes and smile were magnetic and her energy contagious. Crystal made her feel special and loved. If she thought back to her kisses, to her touch, her cheeks turned red and a smile was painted on her lips. There was nothing to do. Gigi was falling in love with her. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, feel free to hate me :(


	7. Seven

That afternoon, Gigi went at Crystal's house as promised. Crystal's parents were leaving the house when she arrived and they told her that she would find her friend in her room. Gigi had called her in, so she wouldn't be frightened, and then she went up the stairs. The door to the room was open and Crystal was lying on the bed in an unusual way, with her legs resting on the headboard. She had headphones in her ears, so she didn't notice Gigi. 

She found her adorable, lying there like that, humming and carrying the rhythm with her feet. Gigi came over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Crystal turned around, a little scared, but then she smiled. She wanted nothing more than to see her. 

\- Hi - she said to her, shifting her position and sitting down. 

\- Hi - replied Gigi. They looked at each other for a moment and then kissed each other on the lips. 

\- How are you? - she asked her later. Crystal puffed slightly.

\- I’m fine, I don't know - she looked away. Gigi invited her to rest her head on her legs. So she did, standing as close as she could. 

\- Don't worry, the principal already knows who did it - she started stroking her hair. Crystal waited for Gigi to tell her a name. - It was Chester - she admitted. 

Crystal still kept quiet. She didn't know what to tell her. So many thoughts accumulated in a second in her head.

\- Did you tell him that I’m lesbian? - she finally said. 

\- No, I swear to you - Gigi answered very quickly, putting all doubt out of Crystal's head. 

\- Why did he...? - Crystal had to know. 

\- He said he was bothered by the way you were talking to me and that I was his... A bunch of crap, really - Gigi stopped to put her black hair behind her ear. 

\- Your boyfriend is a big asshole - the girl lying on her legs was staring at an undefined spot in the room. 

\- I left him - their eyes suddenly met. Crystal sat down. 

\- Gigi, I'm sorry, I... - began. She knew that deep down Gigi cared about the boy.

\- You don't have to. I was gonna leave him anyway, you know - she said, looking away. Crystal bent her head to one side, confused, and asked her why. 

\- Because I like someone else - her cheeks turned red. Crystal smiled, she knew she was talking about her. She cupped her face in her hands and this time she really kissed her. 

Gigi kissed her back, and her hands were resting on Crystal's thighs, kneeling on the bed. 

It was as if the world exploded at that moment. 

Gigi felt the beat of her heart beating in every single millimeter of her body. Her hands began to sweat, her heart was racing, she felt her head spinning.

It was as if the bed underneath them no longer existed, nothing mattered anymore. It was just her smile and her soul next to Crystal's. That smile in front of her lit up the atmosphere around her.

Gigi could feel their hearts beating together, while their lips played harmoniously with each other.

Their tongues touched gently and everything was damn perfect in those moments.

Crystal wondered if what she felt in her chest was love. She'd always been told she'd feel butterflies in her stomach, but she felt so much more. There was a disco in her belly and her heart seemed to go to the music. She would gently touch Gigi's cheeks as she kissed her. She would run her hands through her soft, long hair, never getting tired of her, her taste and smell. 

They stopped for a moment. Crystal touched Gigi's lips. She began to draw the outline, she began to draw it as if it were coming out of her hand, as if for the first time her mouth was opening. She just had to close her eyes to undo everything and start again, giving birth every time those lips she desired, the lips that her hand had chosen. A mouth chosen among them all, which, for a chance she did not understand, coincided exactly with Gigi's lips, smiling under the one her hand was drawing.

  
  


Give me a thousand kisses, and then a hundred,

then give me another thousand, and then a hundred,

so thousand continuous, and then a hundred.

And then when it's a thousand and a thousand

we'll hide their real number,

that it does not cast the evil eye the envious

for such a high number of kisses.

They kissed again, their hands followed the contours of their bodies this time. Gigi was lying under Crystal's hot body. The girl began to leave kisses on her jaw and then on her neck, where the curly girl placed a hickey that made Gigi make a noise. She held her hands in her hair, while Crystal's hands were resting on her hips from under her shirt. Gigi made things easier for her by pulling her away for a moment and taking off the garment. Crystal was bewitched by her delicate body and after kissing her on the lips began to dot her collarbones and shoulders with little kisses. As if by instinct, Crystal went down her chest and then her belly. 

All of a sudden Gigi was overcome with fear and pushed away the girl who had a confused look on her face. Without looking at her face, Gigi picked up her shirt and then, whispering an apology, walked out of the room. 

Crystal jumped out of bed, chasing after her. She didn't understand what was wrong with her. She felt she'd done something wrong. 

\- Gigi, hey, stop - Crystal managed to grab her wrist. She pulled her closer. - What's going on? Did I make you uncomfortable? You don't have to do this, I... Forgive me if I did something wrong, I didn't mean to - she grabbed her hands. Gigi was looking down.

\- No... You didn't do anything Crys, it's just that this thing just hit me right in the face... I need to think about it - Gigi said to her. 

\- I still don't understand - admitted the girl. 

\- I just don't know who I am anymore... I've never been with a girl, and suddenly you come along and drive me crazy. You start twisting me around in every way and it feels so good and I've never felt this good. It's all happening too fast - Gigi let go of her hands and her gaze pointed upwards, as if she was trying to send the tears back. 

\- Gi, we don't have to run. I want to give you all the time you need - Crystal put her hair behind her ear. Gigi finally laid her eyes on her. 

\- Seriously? - she asked, her eyes were slightly shiny.

\- Yes, seriously - she smiled and that smile seemed to light up the room. Gigi hugged her hard, rubbing her face into the hollow of her neck. 

The girls spent the rest of the afternoon together, kissing and laughing. Together they were explosive, full of joy and nothing could stop them. Gigi and Crystal felt they were beginning to love each other more and more. 

The next morning, Crystal had to get up the nerve to go back to school. She felt she couldn't do it, she was afraid of the looks of others, of their comments under their breaths. She finally made it to school. As she walked across the yard, no one seemed to notice her, fortunately. She hoped everyone had already forgotten what had happened the day before, but something else seemed to be going on. 

Classes began, Gigi had only had a few lessons with her, and Crystal found it a little difficult to pass the time without getting bored without her. At lunch Crystal went out to the backyard with some of her friends. They were chatting amiably, while waiting for the rest of the group. 

Someone touched Crystal's shoulder, she turned around and snapped and stood up. 

\- Can we talk? - Chester was standing right in front of her. 

\- Go away, leave me alone - she said, feeling her chest tighten. 

\- I'm not going anywhere, and since you're forcing me, I'll talk to you right here, in front of everybody - the boy said. Crystal stepped back when he got closer. 

\- Okay, where do I start? Ah yes, first off, you’re a shitty dyke - he started, Crystal clenched her fists, her breath got short. - And you know what, your crocodile tears from the principal didn't help because she won't even suspend me - the boy had a smile that wanted to mock her. Crystal was red in the face, ready to explode.

\- You gotta stop insulting me. No, it's true. I'm a lesbian, so what? Being a lesbian is not an insult, and you need to stop using that word as such. You're a spoiled, obnoxious, arrogant child and all you know is to stand there sniping. Probably instead of thinking about me, of going around ruining other people's hard work, you should think about making a life for yourself because from what I know it's falling apart - she answered in rhymes, this time Chester wouldn't win. 

\- What do you know about me? Let's hear it - he said.

\- Your grades suck Chester, and no college will take you if you keep this up, we were friends before you were an asshole, I know some things - Crystal moved her hair in front of her face and made to sit back down with her friends, but then Chester talked again.

\- Gigi will never fall in love with you. She likes boys, boys like me - he said, Crystal laughed.

\- Then why did she kiss me? - she just said. Chester seemed to become a crazy bull.

\- You don't have to make shit up - he pushed her. 

\- You were asleep on the couch and she kissed me in the kitchen - another push. She wasn't afraid of Chester. 

\- Stop it - he intimidated her threateningly. 

\- Or what? Are you going to hit me? Go ahead, I dare you - she answered.

_ In the schoolyard their voices resounded loudly and they did nothing but argue. Two voices that everyone listened attentively so that they could run to their friends and tell them later. _

_ Insults, secrets unveiled, and then those shoves started to be added. No one intervened, as if they wanted to see how far the situation could go, as if they were waiting to see which of them would punch the other first. A chorus began to rise up. "Brawl" repeated the people around them. _

Chester and Crystal were pushing each other. Him to bring her down, her to push him away. 

Chester started yelling bad words.

Crystal resisted and pushed him harder. 

\- Did you hear Chester? They want the fight, come on - she provoked him, knowing the kid wouldn't have the guts to hit her. 

_ Gigi rushed to the point where all the boys were surrounded and immediately wanted to separate them. She was in tears and begged them to stop, because by then what had happened had happened and no one could change it. _

Gigi was trying to make her way between people to reach them, to separate them, before anyone got hurt. In fact, before Crystal got hurt.

\- Let me through! Crystal, stop! - she screamed. The girl turned to her. That's when Chester really hit her. Crystal fell to the ground and covered her nose, which had started to bleed. Gigi shoved her way through the people. She bent down next to Crystal. 

\- Come on, let me see - she told her, putting her hand on the one that was holding her nose. Gigi saw that the blood kept coming out. 

\- Then it's true. You're a lesbian like her now - Chester stood by and watched, almost feeling guilty. 

\- I'm free to do what I want - Gigi answered him, immediately going back to worrying about Crystal. 

Two teachers ran as soon as they realized what was happening, too late. Gigi helped Crystal get up and they were taken to the infirmary while the other professor was taking Chester to the principal and no one would give him special treatment at that point. 

\- Does it hurt? - Gigi asked Crystal while they were waiting for one of the school nurses. 

\- No, it's okay. I just got punched in the nose, what do you think - Crystal answered sarcastically, visibly hurt and not just physically. Gigi didn't say anything, she was a little offended. 

The nurse squeezed Crystal's nose with her fingers for a few minutes, telling her to breathe through her mouth. Gigi laughed and Crystal couldn't stop doing the same as much as she could. Then the woman handed her an ice pack to keep on her nose and left the two of them alone. 

\- Did you have your parents call? - asked Gigi.

\- No, we'll go home in a few minutes, there was no need - Crystal told her. - I'm sorry if I said it wrong before, but it hurts like hell - Gigi slapped her arm.

\- Don't you ever do that again, or next time I'll leave you on the floor - she wasn't really angry, but she was scared.

\- I was provoking him, but I didn't think he'd really hit me! And then you were crying more than I was - Crystal joked. Until that moment, she had never seen Gigi cry so much. 

\- I was frightened, and then you’re always crying, one of my tears matches a hundred of yours - Gigi smiled embarrassedly. Crying in front of everyone wasn't her style, and she usually felt very uncomfortable when it happened. 

\- Yes, okay you win - laughed Crystal, but what made Gigi burst into tears was the way the other one tried to laugh to keep her nose from hurting. 

Neither of them could stop, and at that moment they both thought the same thing: one was the light of the other. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, things are evolving...Let's see what happens next, stay tuned ;)


	8. Eight

Gigi offered to drive Crystal home, but she told her she'd be fine and not to worry. 

Once home, Gigi heard voices, she still hadn't got used to the fact that her parents had stayed for more than two weeks. It seemed strange to her, it hadn't happened in years. When she came into the living room, Mark and Jane Goode were in company. Sitting on the larger sofa were Mark and Stephen, Crystal's father, with glasses of wine. Their mothers were with Ethan next to the shelf with their family photos. Gigi wondered what was going on and how they got to know each other, and why they were there, and a thousand other questions. 

Her father got up from the couch, welcoming her smiling. 

\- Hello, darling! We thought we'd invite your friend and her parents over for dinner! - her mother explained. Crystal's parents greeted her with warm kisses on the cheeks, happy to see her. Then the question arose.

\- Where's Crystal? - asked Gloria, confused. Usually the girls spent the afternoon together at one or the other's house, they rarely didn't see each other. 

\- We didn't know there was going to be this thing... She went home, I mean she had so much homeworks to do - Gigi omitted the fact that Crystal had gone home with her nose probably broken and needed to rest. - I'll send her a message right away, don't worry - the girl smiled, looking as calm as she could.

She went to her room and called Crystal directly. 

_ "We've been separated for fifteen minutes and you miss me already?"  _ Crystal answered the phone. 

_ "I don't want to alarm you, but my parents invited your parents, and now I have all four of them downstairs drinking wine. You have to come here and make up an excuse for your nose because I didn't tell them the truth."  _ Gigi spoke fast, all in one breath. 

_ "Oh fuck, just today... Okay, I'm coming. I'll figure something out. Wait for me, honey."  _ Crystal said goodbye. Gigi, hearing herself called that, blushed and smiled. She went back downstairs after she took off her uniform and dressed normally. 

She announced to the parents that Crystal was on her way. They spent the time chatting as before, Gigi kept looking out the window, waiting to see the curly hair she loved so much. 

When she got there, she popped the door open. Crystal was out of breath and had a smile on her face. 

\- You don't know what happened on the way over - she told Gigi and then, making sure no one saw her, printed quickly a kiss on her lips. Gigi let her in and asked her what she had done. 

\- I ran a whole block chased by a dog. I was going so fast I looked like a cartoon - she laughed, infecting the other one.

\- You're always getting into trouble, you're unbelievable - Gigi told her, looking at how Crystal had put a white patch on the wound. 

\- My biggest trouble is you, I got a punch for you - she shook her head amused, Gigi gave her a slight push. 

\- You're an idiot - she looked up to the sky and then went to the living room. 

As soon as Gloria and Stephen laid eyes on their daughter, they opened their eyes wide. Mark and Jane looked at Gigi instead.

\- What did you do to your face? - her mother came up to her, reaching out her hand as if to touch her nose. Crystal backed away quickly.

\- Don't touch, I fell down the stairs, it's nothing - she answered her. Gloria was worried, she feared it was serious, even though the girl told her she was fine. Gigi wanted to sink, she felt so guilty. 

\- Crystal, I'm a doctor, if you want I can check, so we can get on with our dinner - Jane offered. Crystal remained silent and exchanged a knowing look with Gigi. It was like she was asking her permission. Gigi nodded. 

\- Okay, fine - nodded. Gigi's mother sat her in a chair in the kitchen where there was more light. Her friend... Or girl (Crystal didn't know what the two of them were exactly) was holding her hand. 

Jane removed the patch that covered a wound and partly concealed the bruise that had formed under her eyes.

\- At first glance it doesn't look broken, but I have to touch it with my hands to check - the woman wanted to make it look like she was asking her permission, but in fact she would have done it anyway. 

Crystal nodded and as soon as Gigi's mother's cold hands settled on the wounded part of her face, she squeezed Gigi's hand tightly. The girl took pity at seeing her like this and Crystal squeezed her hand so hard that she left the mark of her long black glazed nails on her pale hands. 

As soon as she finished, Jane confirmed that the nose was not broken and would soon heal. After the short visit, the families returned to their tranquility.

The table was well laid, the grown-ups drank wine, Ethan stole food from the table, and the girls were sitting on the couch. It was like one of those Christmas family dinners, where everyone was happy. 

Gigi and Crystal found it difficult to hold back, they wanted to hold hands and exchange a few kisses, but it didn't seem appropriate for either of them. They would exchange jokes, talk about anything, and Crystal started making fun of Gigi about her baby pictures, making little Ethan laugh too. 

For dinner, Crystal's father and Gigi's father had thought about cooking themselves. Together they had managed to create something spectacular and the two had even joked about opening a nice restaurant together. They seemed to like each other. 

\- Crystal, if you feel like it, you can stay over - smiled Mark, Gigi didn't even have to beg her to say yes. By the end of dinner Ethan had started calling Stephen and Gloria "uncles", he must have been really impressed by the couple. 

The house became quiet when everyone said goodbye to each other and then each one of them went to the rooms of the Goode's villa. 

Gigi had taken Crystal to her room. She had a huge closet with all kinds of clothes and the room was decorated with prints, posters and photos. Crystal really liked it. 

They went to bed early enough, as if they were impatient to finally touch each other. 

One spring night, the light faded. The perfect place, the perfect moment.

Outside the window an owl was singing a melody. Their hearts kept time and they seemed to dance on the edge of something new.

They had spent nights lost in each other's eyes, lost in a place where they knew they could see into their souls. Each time they lost track of time.

Finally they had found a place they could call home.

A thin breeze, just Crystal and Gigi, chest to chest. 

Every moment seemed better than the last. 

The next morning, Crystal was woken by a distant cry. She opened her eyes, Gigi slept beside her. Her face relaxed, her lips closed and her hair falling on her back. She thought she'd dreamt that cry, but then she heard it again. She decided to go and see, just in case anyone needed help. She came out of the room quietly and saw that Ethan's room next door was wide open. She looked out and found out it was empty. The sound of a door downstairs made her jump. 

Crystal looked at the Winnie Pooh's clock in the room and realized it was ten o'clock. They'd overslept, so it meant they weren't going to school. It seemed strange to the girl that no one thought to wake them up and then the silence in the house gave her the creeps. 

Crystal went back to Gigi's room, which had just woken up. She looked at her confused.

\- I heard someone crying, but it doesn't seem to be anyone here - she sat on the bed.

\- What time is it? - she asked and when she got the answer, her expression changed. - Crys, please stay here - she said, then she left the room. 

Gigi started walking around the house, checking room by room, first one floor, then the other, then she looked out the window into the garden. She went back to her room screaming. 

\- Gigi... - Crystal started, but she was interrupted.

\- I knew it, I expected it - Gigi went around the room desperately. 

\- Gi, can you stop? - Crystal came up to her, trying to catch her. 

\- Fucking assholes! - She kept screaming. Crystal managed to stop her, hugging her. Gigi slowly stopped swearing and let go. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. 

\- They took him away - Gigi said, hiding her face in her chest. Crystal caressed the back of her neck. She couldn't even imagine the effect of being alone all of a sudden. 

Yet things seemed to have calmed down, they had stayed for a few weeks, Gigi had told her that they were managing to create a real relationship, that Ethan was happy, that everyone was happy. Then the dinner the night before, their kindness, their happiness. The thing that gave her the creeps was that this time Mark and Jane had taken Ethan with them, leaving Gigi completely alone.

Crystal sat her down on the bed and then sat next to her. She took her face in her hands, wiping her tears with her thumbs. Gigi put her hands on Crystal's wrists, clutching them, as if she feared that she too would leave. 

It hurt to see her in pieces like that. It was some time before Gigi could say anything. All she felt inside her was so much anger and disappointment. For once in her life her parents were taking an interest in her life, committing themselves to getting to know her and having a real relationship with her. It seemed they would never leave and instead they did, ripping her heart out. She trusted them when they promised to stay with them, with her and Ethan. Instead, besides running away again, this time they had taken away Gigi's brother, the person she loved most in the world. She shouldn't have trusted them. It had been a plan perhaps, one of those well-thought-out plans where they first worked their way into her heart and then robbed her of everything.

Her hands began to tremble when the thought that Crystal could do the same came to her mind. But then she looked into her eyes and that smile made her come home.

\- Why don't you come over for a while? I don't want you to be here alone - Crystal asked her. The thought of her alone in that big house scared her. Gigi stopped to think about it, nodded a little later.

\- I'll call my parents, they'll pick us up whenever you want. I promise I'll be back soon - she smiled at her and went out into the hallway to talk on the phone. Gigi took a deep breath. She could feel it corrode from the inside. She had taken care of Ethan when he was born. She had taken care of him when she was only fifteen. She had to grow up fast to be able to take care of him. Ethan was a part of her, they'd never been separated. She wondered if he was scared, if the cry Crystal heard was his. She went to his room, through the shared bathroom. 

The monkey puppet he loved was on her crib. Gigi sat down and took the stuffed animal. Tears were already in the corner of her eyes. She held the stuffed monkey, decided to take it with her to Crystal's house. A hiccup came out of her lips. 

Crystal heard it and closed the phone to go to her. She hugged her again, trying to comfort her in any way she could. 

\- Don't ever leave me - Gigi told her in a whisper. Crystal promised her she would never do that. 

The girls tried to get the essentials to take with them. When they heard Crystal's parents' car whistling in the driveway, they went outside. Stephen had taken the duffel bag from Gigi's hands and put it in the trunk. During the short trip, no one spoke. Crystal held Gigi's hand and caressed it occasionally. 

When they got home, Gloria hugged the girl. 

\- We will always be here for you, Gigi - the woman said to her. She stroked her back with a motherly gesture that shook the girl slightly. Someone she had known for just under a month was willing to take care of her more than her mother had ever done.

\- You can stay as long as you want. Sure, sharing a room with Crystal who snores is not the best, but we could always send her to sleep on the couch - Stephen told her, managing to provoke a giggle in Gigi. 

\- Look, they already love you more than they love me - Crystal smiled at her. Gigi began to feel safe, and that fear, that insecurity, drifted away. 

In a few days Gigi managed to settle in and the serene climate of the house made her feel good again. Sometimes at night she cried, but Crystal was always there to hold her. Gigi felt protected and her relationship with Crystal was even more intimate. 

When Crystal's birthday approached, Gloria prepared a surprise party for her, but Gigi had something else in mind. The girl had decided to give Crystal a gift, one she wouldn't forget. 

That Saturday morning, the girl woke up perky, kissed Gigi on the lips next to her in bed. 

\- It's my birthday! - she smiled happily.

\- It's your birthday - repeated Gigi, smiling between kisses. Gigi surprised her, sitting on her and continuing to kiss her. Crystal laid her hands on her hips, struck by the audacity of the other one. 

Gloria and Stephen entered the room without knocking with a birthday cake. Gigi moved quickly, Crystal sat down. Both were red in the face.

\- The door! You have to knock! - Crystal screamed, gesticulating. Gigi laughed embarrassedly beside her. 

\- But it's your birthday! - the two approached each other holding the cake together. Gloria, Gigi and Stephen started singing "Happy Birthday" to her. 

Crystal clapped her hands happily and then at the end of the song, she blew out the candles making a wish. 

\- I love you - she said and a group hug followed her words. By now they were a family and Gigi was 100% part of it. 

When they were alone again, they looked at each other and laughed. 

\- I hope they didn't see me - Gigi hid her face in her hands. 

\- You weren't so shy before - Crystal teased her. 

\- Crystal! - She turned red in the face and the curly-haired girl threw herself at her to kiss her with laughter. 

Crystal felt that that was going to be the best birthday ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh I'm sorry for this one!!! Hope you enjoy it <3


	9. Nine

Crystal's birthday was completely dedicated to her. At lunchtime there was her favorite dish and Gigi had gone to the bar where the girl had taken her breakfast that day when she brought it home at 8 am. She had bought her favorite cake. 

\- You're an angel - Crystal had hugged her tight. Gigi loved to see her so happy, and still hadn't given her her present. 

The day continued with a walk by the sea. Crystal and Gigi went there alone. By now the days had begun to get warmer and warmer and the sun seemed to shine only for them. As soon as they arrived, Crystal threw her backpack on the sand, while Gigi spread a towel big enough for both of them. 

Gigi took her by the hand and together they walked towards the shore, to dip their feet in the water and enjoy that light breeze. The sea was calm, the slow roar of the waves brought a certain calm. The sun was high and bright, making the surface of the water shine crystal clear. The sand under their feet was warm and soft, the first swallows flew in the sky together with some seagulls. Silence reigned, as if to emphasize the greatness and beauty of nature of which the girls were part. 

Crystal's blue dress blended in with the sky, she almost seemed to be part of it, together with Gigi with her sun-yellow dress and her light luminous skin. 

They dipped their feet in the water, withdrawing quickly when discovered it was very cold. 

\- Shit! - Crystal laughed and walked away. Gigi, unlike her, had stayed where she was, watching her amused as she ran away. 

\- Come on, it's not that bad! - she smiled, moving a lock behind her ear. 

\- What do you mean? It's frozen! - Crystal said to her. Gigi told her if she didn't come back next to her, she’d catch her. Crystal started running along the shore, and Gigi chased her laughing. 

\- Let's see if you can catch me - Crystal turned around for a short while, making her tongue out. 

\- I swear if I can... - Gigi said it to herself and ran faster. They chased each other on the shore like two little girls, laughing. Their laughter composed sweet music, which blended with the rest of the landscape around them. 

The light wind would get in their hair and play with the edge of their clothes. 

Crystal ran backwards, challenging Gigi again. Then she tripped on her own feet and fell into the water. 

Gigi laughed harder, now with tears in her eyes. She came over to help her up, but Crystal pulled her down, causing her to fall on her in the water. They laughed again. 

They stood there, on top of each other, in the water. Their clothes swayed with the waves. Their lips joined in a tender kiss. 

Maybe they were too young to know what "forever" really meant. Yet their love was getting stronger and stronger. So Gigi decided she didn't want to wait anymore. All those nights together, those elusive, secret moments. Gigi had waited a lifetime to find a love that would make her feel so right. 

No one would ever understand how special Crystal was. No one would ever understand what she had done to her heart. 

To be without her would be like waking up under only half a blue, like walking around with one shoe, it was like being only half of a heart. Crystal completed her.

\- Crys, will you be my girlfriend? - Gigi said, resting her forehead on Crystal's. The other one smiled, kept her eyes closed, decided to enjoy the moment. Her cheeks turned a slight red. 

\- A thousand and thousand times yes - Crystal smiled and kissed her passionately again. She had waited for nothing else, she couldn't have been happier. Her heart exploded in her chest.

What a feeling it was to be there next to Gigi at that moment. She held her in her arms and the other one seemed to have stars in her eyes.

After their moment of tenderness, the two of them began to play in the waves of the sea. Crystal took Gigi in her arms and dropped her, she pushed her laughing and Crystal threw herself under the water, teasing her a little. 

When Crystal noticed that Gigi was shaking, she held her and they came out of the water. 

\- Sit down on the towel, I'll get my jacket from my backpack - she smiled at her. 

\- You brought everything in there, didn't you? - Gigi followed her with her eyes. 

\- You know me, I must be ready for anything... And then I was afraid you would be cold - she answered, blushing for saying something sweet. She took the jacket and put it on her girlfriend's shoulders. It was a strange thing to call her that, she was over the moon. Gigi stretched her neck and formed a little heart with her lips on which Crystal gave a kiss. 

When the sun had started to set, the landscape had changed. The sun had turned more orange, slowly disappearing at the horizon. In the sea a thousand different colors were mixed, blue, sky blue, yellow, orange, pink. A harmony of colors that made the sunset the most beautiful part of the day. The air was still warm enough to have almost dried their clothes. They enjoyed the sunset lying on the red sheet. They had Jason Mraz's "I'm yours" in the background, singing together, carefree. Gigi was really good, Crystal a little less, but it didn't matter. 

The music stopped when Gloria called them to come home on time. They put their things in Crystal's backpack and then gradually headed home. 

Crystal thought this was the best birthday ever. 

As soon as they arrived, Gigi let Crystal in first, and the guests at the party said "Surprise" in unison as soon as they saw her. 

Nicky, Widow, Jaida and Dahlia were there, some of her old friends were there and she even saw that Jackie, Heidi, Jan and Rock were there. Crystal thanked everyone and then decided to change quickly. Gigi did the same. Crystal told her that she felt uncomfortable with her old friends there, but Gigi convinced her that she had to talk to them, if they went to her party, there was a reason.

They went back downstairs and the party started. Her parents had given her the house away, relying on the responsibility of the girls. 

Gigi went to her friends, pushing Crystal towards the other girls.

\- Hey, happy birthday Crystal - Jackie told her as soon as she got close. 

\- Thanks, Jackie - she didn't know what else to say, she didn't even know why she let herself be talked into talking to them. 

\- Look...Your mom invited us and we thought we'd come and maybe, I don't know, make up - Jan broke the ice. The other friends nodded. 

\- It wasn't nice how we acted. You have to excuse us, really - Rock came forward. Crystal took a breath.

\- You lied to me, then shut me out and kicked me out, saying I'd changed. I thought nothing was going to change between us, you promised me, but instead... - Crystal looked down on the floor. 

\- You're right. We treated you like shit. We acted like that out of jealousy, you never had any company but us and seeing other people... I don't know what we thought, really - Heidi explained herself, knowing that all she could do was apologize. 

\- I managed to make friends at my new school after weeks. What was I supposed to do? Stay alone and not talk to anyone because it was supposed to be just you? It's not fair - she shook her head, starting to get angry. 

\- Okay, look: we've been bitches, idiots, whatever, it's true. But we're here to apologize and to mend our friendship. We always said we'd stay friends no matter what - Jackie took her hand. Crystal let her. She missed her friends. 

\- You don't know how many things I have to tell you - she finally said and all of them joined in a hug. 

Meanwhile, the people around them were drinking and dancing, Gigi and her group were outside smoking. 

\- You haven't said a single word Gi, are you alright? - Nicky asked her, then sucked out the cigarette. 

\- I just don't know how to tell you this - Gigi looked at her friends. Everyone was paying attention to her. Widow invited her to sit next to her and handed her her cigarette. The girl made two puffs of the cigarette. - My parents left, took Ethan with them... I live here at Crystal's... God, I'm circling it - Gigi snorted. 

\- We didn't know about this... - Dahlia stepped in, the friends looked at each other confused. 

\- We're sorry, Gigi, is there anything we can do? - Jaida joined in, stroking her back. 

\- No, it doesn't matter... I, well, a very nice thing happened to me and now I don't think I need anything else in my life - the girl said to her friends, smiling tenderly. 

\- Please tell me that what I'm thinking is true - Nicky jumped up, happy.

\- It depends on what you're thinking - Gigi replied. Widow seemed to understand what Nicky meant and began to laugh happily. 

\- Someone switched to the other side, girls - Widow kept laughing, mocking her in the friendliest way she knew. As soon as she heard those words, Gigi laughed and turned red. This confirmed the assumptions of her friends, who were immediately happy for her. 

The fact that Gigi had included them in her life for once made them happy. They were friends and no matter who Gigi was with or who she liked, they would always watch her back. 

After the good moment of confession, they finished their cigarettes and went back inside to dance. 

Crystal looked for Gigi with her eyes, she did the same. Crystal took her friends to Gigi's, with hers behind her. 

\- Well girls, these are my friends. Meet Widow, Jaida, Dahlia and Nicky - she stopped and let them introduce themselves. - This is Gigi... This is, well, she is my girlfriend - Crystal took her hand and Gigi blushed, waving at them. The girls immediately communed and while the music was blasting loudly they started dancing. 

_ Yoko Ono - Moby Rich  _

After several cocktails Gigi had started dancing with Crystal in a sensual way. They were getting closer and closer. Crystal had laid her hands on Gigi's swaying hips, she held her hands on her shoulders while she hummed. She stole a kiss now and then, matching their bodies. 

While they danced Crystal had Gigi do a spin, and she stopped resting her back on Crystal's chest, her butt rubbing against her. Crystal slid her hands from her waist down to her hips. Gigi had moved her black hair to one side, as if to indicate to Crystal where she wanted her lips to rest.

Gigi was successfully provoking Crystal. In fact, the curly girl laid a trail of kisses on her neck, leaving a slight hickey. 

Gigi turned to her again with a look that made Crystal die inside. They started kissing and then Gigi started torturing her worse than before. This time it was her who kissed her neck and she got to a point just behind her ear that made her shiver. 

\- Not now - Gigi whispered in her ear and walked away from her with a clever little smile. Crystal stood still. Gigi had turned her into a stone with one glance, like Medusa. She had enchanted her with those magnetic eyes. 

The time for cake came soon after. Crystal blew out the candles for the second time that day. After that moment, people began to go home. By now it was 3:00 in the morning and everyone was tired. When everyone left, Gigi looked at Crystal from the door jamb in the living room. Crystal walked up to her. 

_ I Wanna Be Yours - Arctic Monkeys _

They started kissing and tearing each other apart just to catch their breath. They hurried up the stairs, Gigi stopped with her back to the wall of the corridor, Crystal did not give her peace and came back to torment her lips and neck, leaving more visible marks. They continued to kiss and explore each other's bodies from above their clothes. 

Crystal didn't bother to turn on any lights, she closed the door behind her. Gigi layed on her bed, Crystal followed her, standing over her. They could feel the heat of their bodies rising out of proportion. The curly-haired girl carried her hands on the other girl's smooth thighs, caressed them until they went up to the hem of the little black dress that Gigi had put on. She enjoyed playing with it before slowly sliding it upwards until she got rid of it, also caressing the body of the girl underneath her. She stopped to look at how the girl had coordinated her underwear. She had put on a black lace bra and panties. She looked into her eyes shining with desire, then kissed her on the lips. She started a long trail of kisses: the lips, then on the soft jaw, again on the neck and then down towards the collarbone. Every once in a while she left her a few bites, not too hard. Gigi would give out little noises of approval, so Crystal knew she was going in the right direction. 

As she reached her chest, Crystal was able to undo her bra quickly and smoothly. She removed it, revealing Gigi's round breasts. Crystal kissed the center of her chest and her tits and then continued down, leaving kisses on her belly. 

Before Crystal could continue, Gigi brought her back up, deciding it was her turn. 

\- You're too dressed - she told her. Crystal was sitting, Gigi was on her, with only her panties on. Gigi had removed the shriveled top she had on, revealing Crystal's full breasts directly. Gigi smiled, laid her hand on Crystal's shoulder, making her lie on the bed, and then began to kiss her chest as she enjoyed the light moans coming out of the girl's lips. As she continued to torture her breast, Gigi carried one hand under the other's red skirt. Her fingers touched her intimacy covered by her panties, and Crystal lost her breath for a moment. Gigi kept touching her like that, the other one's breath became shorter. 

\- Gi... - begged her. The girl on top of her stopped and took off her skirt and panties, slowly. She had slid the clothes down her legs, kissing her inner thigh. Gigi continued until she stopped between her legs, lightly touching Crystal's clit with her index finger. Crystal groaned and Gigi began to massage slowly, at a slow pace.

Crystal made noises as she pushed her hips toward Gigi’s fingers, trying to increase the friction. With that movement Gigi decided to give her what she wanted. She had replaced her fingers with her lips. Gigi sucked Crystal's clit and licked her entrance. Crystal moaned louder at that contact and Gigi did the same, creating vibrations. Crystal moved her hips in rhythm with Gigi's skillful tongue. Crystal grabbed Gigi's hair and pulled her closer, the girl realized that the other one was coming. She increased the rhythm, caressing Crystal's intimacy with her fingers. Crystal squeezed her legs around Gigi's head, cutting off the air that Gigi was getting. 

Gigi licked Crystal through her orgasm, her legs trembled and Crystal moaned loudly. 

In a single moment, Gigi found herself still lying under Crystal. Now it was her turn, and the girl did not spare herself. Crystal had unceremoniously removed her panties, surprising her. Gigi felt Crystal's tongue licking at her entrance. Gigi opened her legs wider, as if by reflection. Crystal was eating her out, sucking her clitoris and inserting her tongue. Gigi twisted underneath her, her moans were music to Crystal's ears. The girl began to alternate her tongue with her fingers until she slid a finger inside Gigi. She moved it slowly, causing shivers down Gigi's back. She slipped a second finger into Gigi and Crystal began to slid her fingers in and out of her, scissoring at a faster pace. She then pulled her fingers out completely, moving her hand to slowly rub Gigi's clit. Crystal slid the two fingers back into Gigi at once. Gigi moaned in an almost pornographic manner. Crystal moved her fingers in and out very slowly this time, which made Gigi impatient. She moved her hips to a rhythm, trying to push them in further. Crystal kept licking her. Gigi was so close, her skinny thighs began to tremble as a series of moans and muffled sounds left her lips. Gigi felt as if fireworks exploded in her stomach as she began to tremble uncontrollably. Crystal pulled out her fingers just as Gigi came, directly on her tongue. Crystal massaged her clit through her orgasm just like the other girl did. 

Crystal returned to her height, the girls joined in a kiss. 

Gigi had squeezed herself close to Crystal, who caressed her long hair and bare shoulders. 

\- I love you - she said to her with a voice. 

\- I love you too - she answered her just as softly. Gigi fell asleep shortly afterwards in her arms, Crystal pulled up the blanket over both of them and enjoyed the scent of the girl next to her. Soon Crystal went to sleep, too, with her heart still beating wildly. 

_ Sex is the art of controlling a lack of control. _


	10. Ten

The next morning a faint ray of sunshine came in through the window. Gigi and Crystal were still naked under the covers. They caressed each other gently, silently, losing themselves in each other. They had shared not only their hearts but also their bodies. Such an intimate and meaningful act for the two, that they forgot that the world kept turning. They would stay there forever.

\- Girls? - Crystal's mother had quietly knocked on the door. Crystal whispered to Gigi that she wouldn't open the door, but then the other one pushed her out of bed amused. She put on the first sweatshirt she found in the drawer, then opened the door, only half of her body coming out, to stop the woman from getting in.

If Gloria had seen the girls' clothes and underwear scattered around and the unmade bed with Gigi without clothes lying there, she would have had a heart attack.

\- Good morning - Crystal told her.

\- I wanted to ask if you were having lunch here - the woman, curious, was trying to peek through the door.

\- No, we're going out with our friends. Well, bye now - Crystal tried to end the conversation, embarrassed.

\- Crystal, wait, one last thing - her mother giggled - You know, you two... Have you by any chance... - as soon as Crystal realized what she was alluding to, she blushed.

\- Mom! Oh my God, go away - Crystal closed the door dead from embarrassment. Gigi was lying raised with one arm under her head. She looked at her amused.

\- She's become our number one fan now - Gigi laughed.

\- Ugh - puffed, joking. She got on the bed and walked up to her on her knees. Gigi pulled her from the neck of her sweatshirt, started kissing her.

\- Off with this - she said then, taking her shirt off.

\- You got a taste for it, huh? - Crystal said to her, smiling and kissing her again.

\- I don't think you're backing out of this - she said, and managed to shut her up. Their hands went back to touching their bodies, but one of them's cell phones started ringing. Crystal threw herself back on the bed, tired of being interrupted by the outside world. Gigi laughed, then got up to get the phone off the girl's desk.

Crystal studied her body and the way the light caressed it. Gigi was light-skinned, soft even to the eye. Her legs were thin and long, sinuous. Her butt was round and toned, in perfect harmony with the rest. Her back, where her long hair often fell out, was uncovered. Gigi had two dimples at the base of her spine, her hips and her waist gave life to sinuous lines. Her body seemed to be shaped by some god.

Gigi spoke on the phone for two seconds, Crystal continued to study her, a thousand ideas flashed through her mind.

\- It was Jaida, she told us they're waiting for us - Gigi started to collect her stuff. Crystal looked at the time and realized that it was late, she snapped too.

They washed quickly, got dressed, combed their hair, and in a flash they were out of the house. Crystal's father had the car, so they had to run in the hot noon sun. They got to the park, all their friends were waiting for them.

\- There they are, finally! - Jan pointed her finger at them, and they all came out happy.

\- What were you guys doing? It took you forever - Nicky came over to greet them.

\- We just woke up late, it was an accident - Gigi explained. Crystal with a smart smile looked away.

\- And what an accident - she fake scratched the back of her head. Gigi blushed and tapped her on the shoulder.

\- Someone was getting busy - Widow joked, causing a laugh. But Crystal realized that Gigi wasn’t, she was in great discomfort. She squeezed her with one arm.

\- Come on, that's enough. It's none of your business, let's go to lunch - Crystal stood surety, losing the smile on her lips. She was joking, but maybe Gigi felt more fooled. It was all new to her, even their friends had to take it easy.

The girls had lunch at a small restaurant in the center of town. It was a very popular place between young people and there they cooked all kinds of dishes. Crystal had never been there. It seemed like one of those places she saw on Instagram. It was in perfect 50s style, the chequered floor, the tables, the red armchairs, the walls covered with photos and neon signs. Gigi seemed to match the atmosphere of the restaurant perfectly. She had her white round sunglasses, her red short dress with matching scarf. Come to think of it, she seemed to have come out of an episode of Happy Days.

Lunch was quite pleasant, the two groups of friends seemed to get along quite well.

\- Gigi, how was Chester's the other day? Nicky told me you went to his place - Dahlia asked her almost halfway through lunch. Gigi started babbling, Crystal raised her eyebrows in surprise.

\- What are you talking about? - Gigi answered. Nicky told her that she knew what she was talking about, Gigi had even sent her messages while she was at his house. Crystal listened to the conversation, didn't know what to say, and didn't want to make a jealous scene, since she didn't know what her girlfriend was doing at Chester's house.

\- There, you see! Thursday! Thursday I got your messages - Nicky started reading some of them out loud.

\- That's enough, Nicky - Gigi said, raising her voice, annoyed.

\- Wait, but... Thursday? Didn't you go to Jaida's to study? You were gone all afternoon - Crystal intervened, breaking the silence. The air got heavy.

\- Indeed, I was there - Gigi told her, her voice trembled. Crystal didn't believe her and asked Nicky if she could read the messages. The French girl told her it wasn't appropriate.

\- Until two minutes ago you were reading them out loud, I don't see what the problem is... No, Gi? - Crystal turned to her. She started to get nervous.

\- We were making fun of her, I was making them up - Nicky laughed nervous. Crystal asked her again to show her the messages, to prove it was a joke like she said.

\- It’s true. I was over at Chester's all afternoon - Gigi flashed, stood up. She kept her eyes closed, like she was afraid of the consequences.

Crystal said nothing. She took her backpack, stood up calmly and walked out of the restaurant. Her friends had started calling her out loud, Gigi ran right behind her.

Crystal could hear her heart beating in her ears. She kept walking, ignoring the girl behind her who was trying to keep up.

\- Stop! - Gigi could barely grab her arm. At some point she tripped on her feet and fell on her knees. She swore under her tongue. 

\- Gigi, you have to leave me alone - Crystal turned to her, helping her to get up. Gigi had scratched her knees, but Crystal hadn't even noticed.

\- You have to let me explain - the girl had tears in her eyes. Crystal ran her hand through her hair, agitated.

\- I don't think I want to listen to you right now. Please go back to the restaurant, sit down at the table and tell your fucking friends about Chester - her tone of voice was a crescendo. - I didn't want to yell, I... See you at home - Crystal turned around and kept walking, leaving Gigi behind.

There was so much anger at the time. She didn't know what Gigi had been doing there for a whole afternoon at Chester's and was afraid of finding out other things that would hurt her. She was tormented by the thought that she had gone to him after everything he had done, everything he had said. Crystal had given everything to Gigi. She'd been through hell because of that asshole Chester. First the painting thing, then the punch in the nose and the constant teasing from the kid. Crystal put up with all that to be happy with Gigi.

Who knows, maybe she wasn't.

Her cell phone rang while she was walking. She answered, it was her mother, who had begged her to come home right away. Crystal, almost there, started running faster than the light. There were two half-wrecked cars in the street, one had turned to the side.

Gloria screamed her name as soon as she saw her, two ambulance attendants let her through. A couple of kids were sitting in an ambulance, a first aid nurse checked their wounds. Crystal was confused.

Anxiety became intense when she didn't see her father. Half the vehicle overturned was his BMW.

\- Mom, mom, where's dad? - Crystal asked her in a panic. Her mother couldn't even explain herself in tears. The girl looked around again. She saw that in the other rescue vehicle, there was someone lying on a stretcher.

An ambulance attendant approached her, told her that they were ready to go to the hospital and that they could get into the ambulance with them. Crystal helped her mother get in. Her father was inside, on a stretcher, with a respirator on his face. She couldn't stop looking at him. She was afraid that if she looked away, he wouldn't be there once after she rested her eyes again him.

Crystal held her mother in her arms. They arrived at the hospital, the two of them had to stay in the waiting room, Stephen was carried out down a corridor, in a hurry.

The clock was ticking very slowly. Crystal had thought of nothing but her mother and father. She kept thinking of all those moments that had bound her to her father. She remembered when, as a child, he carried her around on his shoulders, or when they were alone at home and he made her his favorite dish. She remembered their first fight. She said she was going to marry a woman in the future and he started screaming. She told him she hated him. Her father had hit her right in the face. It was the first and last time he did it, but she still remembered the pain of that moment. She remembered when a short time before he had undone all those unpleasant events by telling her that he accepted her, that he loved her. 

She remembered their moments at sea, their laughter, the joy of family moments, how her mother scolded them if they made too much noise. The woman sat next to her, asleep after she cried every tear she had inside.

It was then that Crystal looked at her cell phone for the first time in hours. There were texts and calls from Gigi, and more.

_ I'm on my way home. Answer me. _

_ Crystal, please. _

_ I know you're angry, but you have to answer me... _

_ I can explain _

_ Okay, now you're ignoring your friends too? _

_ If you're not gonna answer me, at least answer them - Gigi _

The messages continued endlessly, repeating themselves. Gigi hadn't given up for a second.

Crystal dialed her number.

\- Crystal! - the girl answered immediately, whining her name on the other side of the phone. Hearing her voice made her start crying, it was as if Gigi had unblocked her from that state. Again, she had revealed herself to be the poison and the antidote.

\- Please, come here - she cried with a thread of voice. She needed her, at that point she didn't care who she spent a stupid afternoon with.

\- Hey, take it easy... Where are you? - Gigi had a worried voice, and when Crystal told her they were in the hospital, she died of fright. She told her she'd be right there.

Gigi called a taxi and arrived a few minutes later. At the entrance she asked for them, Crystal called her from the hall.

Gigi ran towards her, hugged her tightly. Crystal hid her face in her neck, as she used to do, and started sobbing.

Gigi stroked her back.

\- It'll be alright, don't worry - it reassured her, although judging by Crystal's face, it seemed difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was really sad to write, I'm sorry guys :(


	11. Eleven

Gigi held hands with Crystal, who kept her head on her shoulder and in turn would held hands with her mother. 

They waited another hour before a doctor heard from Stephen. They had spent that time in silence, but in each other's arms. Gigi hoped that Crystal would listen to her, at Chester's house nothing had happened and she had gone to him with noble intentions. 

\- Do you want to talk? - Crystal asked her, out of nowhere. 

\- Of course, yes - Gigi answered her quickly. They went outside, in the smoking air not far from the waiting room. 

\- So? - Crystal sat down, looked her in the eyes.

\- Well, I went to Chester because he said he wanted to apologize for what he'd done. He had a lot of ceremony before he came to the point. And he was all sweet-talking me and telling me that you weren't what I wanted, that you didn't want me, that I was confused. He pressed me, leaving me no time to answer him or even think. He manipulated me so much that I finally burst into tears and... - Gigi stopped. She felt terribly guilty, her heart was racing in her chest, anxiety was suffocating her. She felt like an idiot and looking into Crystal's eyes became difficult. 

\- And? - Crystal pushed her to go on, even though she wasn't stupid and understood what the other one was going to say. Part of herself hoped it wasn't true, that Gigi would say something else, anything. 

\- You figured it out - the other said it, as if she had read her mind. Actually she knew her too well, she could read her eyes.

\- I want to hear you say it - she admitted. Her eyes became clear. She hated being so sensitive. 

\- He... We kissed. - Gigi herself felt the air go out. Crystal said nothing. Rivers of tears began to flow down her cheeks. All hell had broken loose in her. The other one's words sounded like a ringing in her ears. Her heart had stopped beating, she was sure of it. Crystal loved Gigi like no other person in the world. She was the light that was missing in her life, that glow of hope she needed. When she was with her, she felt happy, it was like holding the whole world in her arms. She didn't really know how to explain it, but Gigi was the person who came first in everything. 

She was her best friend, the person she asked for advice when faced with a problem, the one she got involved with when she got into some big mess to help get her out of it, the one who knew how to get her off the hook. She was the person she talked to about everything, the one she let off steam, the one she wanted to overcome her fears with, the one she showed the side that no one ever showed because she didn't like it and was afraid of other people's reactions. Gigi was her lover, her friend and her companion at the same time and in the same way, that person who in a certain way you know is all you need to go on. Gigi was the person who called at three o'clock in the morning because she wanted to see her and to go for a ride with her, she was the person who in the afternoon you take an ice cream with and at night you make love to her. Crystal would look at Gigi and just think "how lucky I am to have her". She was the person she studied with, the one she joked with about stupid jokes and the one she talked to until four in the morning because she couldn't stop. Gigi overturned her, improved her, made her angry, and at the same time gave her peace and calm. She was the only person she trusted, the one she used to tickle and then wrestle the pillows with.

Crystal felt that she was the person who could console her, the one who could push the right buttons in Gigi and move the melancholy, transform it into life. Gigi was the person who told her about her plans for the future and who wanted Crystal to be part of them too. They were companions of adventures, misadventures, first times, discoveries and desires. 

Gigi was the person she held in her arms and didn't let go anywhere, the one she held in her proud hand as she walked among people and the one she looked at with admiration and pride. Crystal and Gigi knew how to fight all night, only to resolve everything and start over where they had left off.

They had such a deep and true bond that they would remember it forever.

Gigi was the person who loved and hated the world the most, she was at the antipodes and she loved her anyway, in all ways, in all sauces, in all her nuances. Gigi was her person.

\- Say something, please - Gigi was looking at her, her eyes full of tears, her cheeks striped with mascara. 

\- What should I tell you? We weren't even together when it happened, but it still hurts like hell. And I feel like this not because of the kiss itself, but because of who you kissed. I don't understand. I can't understand... Do you like him? - Crystal was talking fast between hiccups. She felt like she was going crazy. 

\- No! I don't like him at all! Crystal, believe me. It was a big mistake, I know, and I'm so sorry. He was like a spider. He trapped me in his web and he did it to hurt us from the inside. Don't you understand? - Gigi was gesticulating, Crystal was her whole heart. Losing her would have meant destroying herself.

\- Of course I understand that. Maybe even better than you do. Goddamn Chester hates my guts just because I love you. Everything he did to me, it was all because I love you. Writing "lesbian whore" on a painting I worked my ass off for, punching me in the face, bombarding me with messages telling me I didn't deserve you, that I was shit... - Crystal was red in the face. 

\- Messages? What messages? - Gigi interrupted her, took her hands and Crystal let her. The girl remembered she'd never talked to her about the thing, so she shut up. - Crystal, what were you talking about? - she begged her again.

\- Nothing, never mind... The point is, Gigi, I love you so much. I think I've always shown you that, and I don't give a shit about this goddamn kiss. I'm afraid you liked it and that he took you away from me. I'm afraid that one day he'll take you away from me and I can't stop hurting myself thinking about it - Crystal squeezed her hands, resting her forehead on her chest. Gigi caressed the back of her neck. 

\- Crys, hey, look at me - Gigi lifted her face gently with one finger under her chin. - That kiss was a mistake, and no, I didn't like it. The only thing I felt was the sense of betrayal towards you, I didn't even come home as much as I felt like shit. Chester's not taking me anywhere, and you know why? Because you're my life. Because, damn it, Crystal, I love you so much too. A lot of people might think we're too young to know what love is, but I know what it is. To me love is you - she smiled in tears. Gigi seemed calm, but inside she had an earthquake that was shaking her and turning her inside out.

Crystal had smiled at her and held herself close to her. They stood in silence like that, holding each other. This was how they healed their wounds, discovering their hearts and remaining silent. Too many words were never needed, never. Their delicate gestures and silence spoke for themselves. 

\- I'm still a little angry, you know - Crystal told her in a playful tone, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her shirt. 

\- Yes, yes, don't worry... You have every right, really - Gigi nodded to her. Crystal had dried her cheeks and then stroked them. She wanted to calm her down, Gigi needed it, she needed to know Crystal would stay. She kissed her on the lips.

\- We've been together one day and we've already had a fight... It's funny, isn't it? - Crystal joked, making Gigi giggle. 

\- I love crying in hospital smoking areas, we should do it again - she answered, wearing her hair behind her ears. 

\- Sure, anytime, honey - the girl stood up and gave her a hand to help her up. Now the air had calmed down, at least things were all right between them. Crystal felt less anxious now that she had settled things with Gigi. There was just one more problem left to deal with.

They returned to sit in the waiting room with Gloria, who wasted no time asking questions. The girls spoke to her quietly, after all, the woman was open and proved to be a good counselor.

\- You know girls, you're going to fight a lot, like A LOT and for all sorts of things, but it’s normal. A relationship is made of ups and downs, life will test you in every way and you will always have to overcome them together. So when things don't work out, fight, yell at each other, fight to keep alive what unites you, always. You will only come out victorious like this - the woman said, a little sad. Surely she had thought about her husband and their life together. Gigi and Crystal had held her in their arms, telling her that everything would be all right.

A doctor came in suddenly, looking unhappy and worried. Crystal had got up in a hurry, her mother looking at the man in the white coat. The doctor had invited them into his arranged office. 

Gigi had remained seated, leaving the two of them room, in the background she was nobody. Crystal turned around, and when she didn't see her behind her, she came back for her. 

\- Hey, we need you. You're part of the family. Did you forget that? - she took her hand, walked into the man's office together. They sat, waiting to hear how Stephen was doing. 

\- I have two pieces of news for you, one almost good and one bad. The good news is that your husband is alive, his respiratory distress was due to severe pain from cracked ribs. He banged his head, but luckily, no major contusions. He has some broken bones and we had to stitch him up, but he will recover soon - the doctor remained silent for a while, he had left the difficult news for last. 

\- He's fine! When can we see him? - Gloria said excited, a weight had been lifted from her heart. 

\- What's the bad news? - Crystal interfered, causing the silence to drop. She shook Gigi's hand. 

\- Well... we found something when we did all the protocol checks. I've been doing this job for years, and yet I always find this part difficult... - the man froze for a moment. Gloria encouraged him to continue. - All right, um...Mr. Methyd has Parkinson's disease or more commonly referred to as Parkinson. Have you ever noticed tremors, slow movements, or even changes in mood, behavior? - the doctor asked. No answer was given. Gloria had started crying again. 

Crystal, on the other hand, had felt Gigi's squeeze get stronger. Everything around her was muffled. It was the first time she had ever heard anything like that. 

The doctor kept giving explanations to the three women in the room, but Crystal didn't hear anything, just saw his lips move. 

Her father was sick and Crystal couldn't stop thinking about it. 

\- Crystal, come on - Gigi shook her slightly and that made her realize that the moment of information was over. Her mother was wiping away her tears, ready to see her husband. Even Gigi had shiny eyes. They were driven to Stephen's room. 

\- I can't do it - she stopped at the door, whispering. She was immobilized, as if someone was holding her down. Her mother had already entered the room and was hugging her husband. He was stroking her back lovingly, telling her that he was all right, that everything would be all right. 

\- Crystal, Gigi... Girls, come here and say hello to me - laughed the man lying in bed. Gigi pulled Crystal by the hand, who followed her. The girl paused to look at him, looking sad. His face was relaxed, like he was on the couch watching TV. A band-aid covered one of his temples, he had a few more scratches on his face and a cast on his arm. His hands were shaking slightly, Crystal squeezed one. 

\- Dad...- she just said. Stephen caressed her cheek. 

\- Don't worry, I'm all right. I'll be home soon - he smiled at her. It was obvious the man didn't want to talk about the real problem, the discovery of his illness. Slowly he committed himself to putting a smile back on their faces. No one should be sad, not even him. They were all going to get through it together as a family. 

They spent some more time with Stephen, until dinnertime. Crystal's parents asked the girls to go home and rest. Gloria would take care of Stephen. Crystal resisted, but then Gigi convinced her. 

They came home in a taxi. The evening was not one of the happiest. Gigi had to take care of Crystal, who had fallen to pieces. Her father had a degenerative disease, and all they could do was watch him get worse and worse. 

The girl bothered to make her dinner, despite her poor appetite, prepared a hot bath for her and then slept with her until Crystal fell asleep. She'd never seen her like that before. Gigi stood beside her, and by then her sleep was gone as far as she was concerned. At that moment she couldn't help thinking about her family. 

It had been over a week since they had gone. Gloria, Stephen and Crystal were so close, and she envied them. They would fight for each other with all the strength they had, while her parents had abandoned her in a house that was too big for her. 

Her cell phone started vibrating, someone was calling her. 

\- Hello? - she answered, holding Ethan's little monkey in her arms. 

\- Gigi! - his little voice rang out loud and clear. Gigi felt a twinge in her chest.

\- Hey buddy, how are you? Where are you? - she asked him. The boy began to tell her that mommy and daddy made him watch cartoons, that he had so much fun when they took him on bike rides and that they had bought him lots of toys. He said bumpy phrases that sometimes Gigi didn't even understand, but she listened to him with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. She would hold his stuffed animal and tell him that she missed him. 

\- Ethan! What are you doing with my phone in your hand? Who are you talking to? - his father's voice rang far away, the baby laughed. A silence followed. 

\- Hello Gigi - his father had taken the phone. 

\- Put Ethan back on the phone, please - she said. Mark denied her the chance to hear from him and without further explanation he closed the phone in her face. The girl began to sob. Fearing to wake Crystal, she went to the bathroom. She tried to freshen up her face, but she couldn't calm down. Her breathing had shortened, her head was spinning. Gigi recognized she was having a panic attack. She held herself at the sink, trying to be quiet and calm down. She breathed in, counted to five, and exhaled. 

_ Calm down. Calm down. Calm down. _

She wasn't supposed to wake Crystal. She was already exhausted on her own. She deserved to rest. Gigi managed to calm down after 15 minutes or more, she didn't know. She went back to bed, Crystal was still asleep. She squeezed herself close to her, made herself small and tried to fall asleep. 

The world around them was falling apart, but Crystal and Gigi, together, could fix it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came late, but I hope you like it! Kisses xx


	12. Twelve

It was four in the morning and Gigi was already up. In fact she hadn't even slept who knows how long, maybe two or three hours. She had sat by the window, watched the moonlight enter the room and gently illuminate Crystal's features. 

Gigi thought and thought, without ever stopping. She felt so tired, she couldn't even sleep. She had started to write a letter for Crystal, one she would keep secret though. Let's say it was more to herself than Crystal. 

She was having one of those moments where she couldn't even see the light at the end of the tunnel. She was alone in the dark. 

At one point, she heard Crystal screaming while she was in the bathroom. She'd rushed over, jumped into bed with her, see if everything was all right. 

Crystal was sweating and scared. She'd had a nightmare. 

\- You're here, you're here, I'm here - Gigi hugged her. 

\- What are you doing up Gi? What time is it? - she asked her shortly after, noticing the still high moon. 

\- It's half past four, go back to sleep - Gigi answered her. Crystal noticed that something was wrong, that Gigi wasn't well.

\- Tell me what's wrong, please - she said, resting her forehead on the other one’s forehead.

\- I don't want to add any more problems to the ones you already have. I'm here to take care of you - she said.

\- Talk to me. Your feelings are just as important as mine. "I take care of you and you take care of me, always together" remember? - she caressed her cheek.

\- Yeah, I remember... Ethan called me. You were already asleep. He took dad's phone without permission, told me he missed me, told me a lot of things, but then... Then my dad took his phone away from him and he closed it. He hung up on me and didn't let me say goodbye to Ethan for a second. Crys, I miss him so much - Gigi hid her face in her hands. Crystal understood how difficult that situation must be for her.

\- Did he tell you where they are? - she asked her, a flash of genius crossed her mind. 

\- He’s a child, he doesn't even know where he is - she shook her head. 

\- Did he not tell you what he saw? Maybe where he went for a walk, if it was at a park, anything - Crystal wanted to help at all costs. 

\- Of course... Wait, he told me he saw a big green statue with a crown on it. Could it be the Statue of Liberty? - Gigi began to have some hope of seeing her family again. 

\- Do you want to go to New York, Gigi? - Crystal had a smile painted on her lips. Gigi looked at her confused. - Let's go see your family, let's go see Ethan - she explained. Gigi thought it could go one of two ways: either totally bad or beautifully, no middle ground. She wanted to try, and if it didn't go as she hoped, she would still have Crystal with her. 

\- Let's go there, then...It will also be a chance to make you forget for a while about your father's situation - Gigi smiled at her, Crystal agreed. The two of them needed air, like a few days before at the beach. 

That heaviness of a few moments before had vanished. One brought great positivity to the other's soul, and luckily they had found each other. 

A popular Japanese legend, originating from a Chinese story, tells that everyone comes into the world with a red thread tied to the little finger of their left hand. This thread inseparably unites two soul mates, two lovers, two people destined to live together, no matter the distance, no matter the age, social class or other, it is a thread that binds two souls forever.

This red thread is not visible, it is very long, indestructible and serves to keep together the two people who are destined to be together forever, the problem is that being very long the thread often gets tangled and creates strange tangles and knots that create difficulties for the two souls destined to join; every tangle that will be untied will be the overcoming of an obstacle in the relationship, every knot that will be untangled will serve to strengthen the bond.

There, Gigi and Crystal were sure to be bound by that thread. They had found out about that legend together, and since then they had always been sure that they were bound by that thread, that they had managed to find each other. 

iT's YoU - ZAYN

They started kissing slowly, calmly. The two of them, both kneeling on the bed, took their time to study each other better. Gigi stroked the soft curves of Crystal's body. Her hands passed through her face, shoulders, and back. She traced her spine with one finger, making her shiver. Gigi's hands were delicate. They stopped at her hips and pulled her closer. Their kisses became more intense. Crystal had never been able to appreciate her body 100%, but Gigi made her feel like the sexiest girl on the planet. Gigi kissed her neck gently, sucking on a piece of skin and leaving a hickey. Crystal held her hands in her hair, caressing it and holding her close. 

Gigi slipped off Crystal's t-shirt, leaving the girl contactless for a moment. Crystal was eager to feel her lips on her hot skin. 

Gigi made her lie down and then overpowered her, continuing to kiss every single flap of skin. She didn't want to lose an inch of her body. One of Gigi's hands came down and she stroked her thighs all the way to her ass. She had a tight squeeze, making Crystal jerk. Gigi had completely subdued her. 

As usual, Crystal slept without her bra on, so Gigi had free access to her breasts. The girl started playing with them, leaving kisses and teasing her nipples. Crystal was panting underneath her. Gigi moved her hand from her ass and slid it between her legs. From above her panties she gently moved her fingers over her intimacy, never giving the other one what she wanted. 

\- Gigi - a moan came out of her lips, as if to incite her to stop torturing her slowly. 

\- Calmly, princess - Gigi made circular movements with one finger at her entrance. Crystal felt she was dying, she loved the way Gigi was driving her crazy. 

When Gigi began to massage her more firmly, Crystal made a surprise groan, which prompted Gigi to gradually increase the rhythm. Crystal wanted Gigi to take off her bloody panties and touch her right there, she wanted to feel her fingers, her touch. Gigi waited a little longer and then stopped. Crystal looked at her for a moment with her eyes that were shining with desire. The other one took off her panties and slid them down her legs and then she started not to give her girlfriend any peace. She kissed her inner thigh, leaving a few bites. Her hand soon returned to where Crystal wanted it. Gigi touched her clitoris with her thumb while her middle finger kept circling her entrance. 

Crystal trembled beneath her, and made noises that made Gigi realize how much she liked it. Gigi moved her middle finger from her entrance and replaced it with her tongue. Crystal placed one leg on her shoulder to allow more access between her legs. 

Gigi licked her at a slow pace, moving her fingers with her tongue. Crystal had one hand in her hair and sometimes pulled it without noticing. 

Gigi slid two fingers into her, causing Crystal to scream. She held her fingers still for a while, licking her clit and then began to move faster and faster. Crystal's head turned and she felt she was close to orgasm. Gigi tried to insert another finger and as wet as Crystal was, it slid in easily. 

\- Gigi - Crystal moaned her name as she felt she was getting closer and closer. Gigi continued at that fast pace until the other one came on her fingers. Crystal pulled her up to kiss her, her fingers still inside her. 

Gigi giggled to see Crystal's face completely red. She had set her on fire.

\- What are you laughing at? - she asked her, a little embarrassed. Crystal couldn't stop thinking her fingers were still inside her.

\- That's enough for me to do this - Gigi started moving her fingers slowly again - To set you on fire - she smirked. 

\- Ugh, I hate you - she moaned. Gigi took her fingers away, and it was as if Crystal felt a feeling of emptiness. She was immediately distracted by the other one who took her fingers to her lips and licked them. Gigi then lay down next to her. 

\- Where do you think you can run off to? It's my turn - Crystal sat her down and kissed her. Slowly Gigi's night clothes disappeared too. Crystal was surprised that the other one wasn't wearing anything underneath, Gigi claiming she was more comfortable. She appreciated it very much and wasted no time devoting herself to her. 

Crystal had left a trail of hickeys on her belly and hip bones. Gigi had spread her legs slightly, so she could see where she wanted her. Crystal shook her head and moved her gently, putting her in the position she preferred. Gigi found herself on Crystal's back, knees and elbows. The girl couldn't see the other one behind her, she could only hear her, which made things even more exciting. 

Crystal had started kissing the back of her thighs, bottom to top. At one point she had left a bite on her butt, Gigi moaned, which encouraged her to do it again. Crystal smiled at her reaction. 

Crystal turned around a bit before she laid her lips on Gigi's intimacy. She licked it slowly, as if she had all the time in the world. She drew stripes on her intimacy and sometimes sucked slowly to hear Gigi moan. Crystal also touched her with her fingers, making decisive movements on her clit. Gigi felt every movement, even the most imperceptible, her elbows were giving out and her legs were shaking. 

Crystal had accelerated the rhythm on her clitoris and just when the other one was about to come, she stopped. Gigi whimpered, Crystal slowly started torturing her again. Her fingers moved as she entered, Crystal slipped one finger in, then removed it and repeated these movements while licking Gigi. 

Suddenly Crystal moved her finger quickly, it was at that moment that Gigi's elbows gave out once and for all. The girl had her face pressed against the mattress and held the sheets in her hands. Crystal began to add the fingers, without diminishing the rhythm. Gigi moaned and her legs still trembled. This time Crystal didn't stop, decided to make her come. When it happened, Gigi let out a scream. Crystal immediately removed her fingers and carried them to her clit, massaging it slowly until Gigi stopped shaking. 

Crystal made her leave the position that had become almost uncomfortable and let her lie down in her arms. She played with a lock of her dark hair, smiling. 

\- I'll only come to New York if you promise we'll do it again - Gigi laughed shortly afterwards, on the one hand she wasn't joking. 

\- How could I say no if you give me that sweet face? - Crystal pinched her cheek, Gigi laughed louder. A gentle kiss settled on her lips. 

By now the dim morning light came in through the window, but the two went back to sleep anyway, and this time with a smile on their faces and calm in their hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came out really smutty,,, I hope you are enjoying the story so far! xx


	13. Thirteen

It took Crystal and Gigi two days to convince Gloria and Stephen to let them go to New York. They tried everything they could, and they succeeded in the end. They bought the first available plane tickets and then packed a suitcase each. 

Gigi wanted to take half of her closet, but Crystal had convinced her not to overdo it. It was the first time they both flew, the first time they went to New York. Everyone called it the city of dreams, the big apple, the place where dreams could come true. They couldn't wait to spend their time exploring, although Gigi was also anxious to see Ethan. 

They were headed to the airport at seven in the morning by taxi. 

\- I can't believe we're really doing this - Gigi told Crystal as she held her hand in line. By now they had already checked their luggage and the hostess were checking their tickets so they could get the passengers on the plane. 

\- Ah, me neither... But in life you have to do something crazy, don't you? - Crystal smiled happily, meeting the other one's accomplice. They didn't stop talking for a moment, making lists of things to buy, places to visit, more or less anything. 

On the plane Crystal made Gigi sit on the side of the window, a little afraid of the height. They spent the first half of the five-hour journey playing cards, listening to music, then Gigi fell asleep on Crystal's shoulder while she read a book. 

Crystal stopped to watch as Gigi lay on her shoulder, her eyes closed and her lips open. She took a piece of paper from the backpack she was carrying and a pencil. She began to outline the girl's features, filling in the blank sheet of paper. Precisely after a brief sketch, she had started to draw the lines of her face more decisively and then lost time sketching the shadows and lights of her drawing.

When she finished it, happy with the result, Crystal made a movement that scared Gigi out of her sleep. 

\- Oh shit, I'm sorry - Crystal laughed too much. 

\- I swear, I hate you - the girl slapped her chest, then rubbed her eyes. 

\- Thank you, I love you too Gigi - she shook her head, with a smile on her face. As soon as Gigi noticed the drawing resting on her legs, she took it, amazed. 

\- Crystal! - she exclaimed with her clear, shining eyes. Crystal had painted her face perfectly, capturing every detail. - It's beautiful - she kissed her on the corner of her lips. 

\- Two seconds ago you hated me, and now you kiss me? You're incoherent - she mocked her, flattered by her comment. 

\- Odi et amo, Crystal - she laughed and kissed her on the cheek. Crystal laughed, accepting her affection. Gigi didn't really like physical contact with others, but if it was Crystal she made exceptions. 

\- Two long hours to go, what do you want to do? - As soon as they finished joking, Crystal asked her, tired of sitting around. They started thinking of something to do, and between half a movie and a chat they didn't even notice how time flew.

They arrived in New York, the concrete jungle where dreams come true, they had finally realized their crazy idea. It was a city where "things to see" were inexorably transformed into "things to feel": New York was a vortex of emotions.

The girls had studied all the places to see before leaving: Hudson Bay, the Chrysler, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, they had drawn the profile of the "city that never sleeps" even before seeing it live. When that unreachable city finally materialized before them, they were greeted with a sense of familiarity that made them feel at ease: New York was constantly evolving and at the same time it remained the same.

They walked for a while through the streets of New York, always with their noses up: it was an unconditional reflex that they could not resist. They suddenly found themselves surrounded by dizzying heights, large skyscrapers that seemed to have no end. They couldn't wait to look at the city from the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building or from the top of the Top of the Rock, to better admire its immensity.

They passed by Times Square, which was near their hotel. Times Square was one of the most electrifying squares in the world, with neon lights, flickering lights, loud music, and a spinning sound and color centrifuge: the feeling of immensity gave way to an adrenaline rush that made Crystal and Gigi literally turn their heads.

The Brooklyn Bridge could be glimpsed further down, the girls had planned to go there maybe at sunset when the sun would reflect on the mirrors of the skyscrapers radiating a golden light all around, to experience a completely opposite emotion: watching the skyline slowly light up as night fell. 

New York had created a vortex of new emotions. Gigi and Crystal had just arrived and already missed the place that was swarming with life.

Once at the hotel, the girls settled in for a while before they could enjoy the city. It was lunchtime and they were both starving. They decided to look on the internet for a good place to eat and then tried to get there with Google Maps. They went around in circles for a while, arguing about which roads to take and going almost in circles. Gigi was sure they were lost by now, but they were both amused by the situation. Crystal gave up the app that kept driving them crazy and simply told Gigi to ask for directions. But the stubborn girl decided to take matters into her own hands. Eventually they found the place, Crystal thought Gigi was a navigator, she couldn't explain how she did it. But in the meantime, they had found some interesting places just by wandering around. Of course, they had taken pictures of themselves as perfect tourists. Gigi kept posting everything on instagram, Crystal laughed at her attempt to be an influencer. 

After lunch, as the sun was shining, they decided to stay at the nearest park. 

\- Come on Gi! I put my jacket on the ground! Stop being squeamish and come and lie down - Crystal sat in the sun on the grass. Gigi kept acting up. 

\- I'll get dirty - she pouted, but Crystal wouldn't give in. She grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her down, dropping her on top of her. 

\- See? Your ass fits perfectly on the jacket, the rest of you is resting on me and you won't get dirty - the girl fixed Gigi's sunglasses better, moving her hair away from her smiling face. She let go, holding her head on Crystal's chest. They stood relaxed in the sun, while a cool breeze didn’t make them feel the heat. While they relaxed, they chatted and kissed a few times, as if they were in a movie. The day continued and the two of them spent the afternoon shopping and exploring a bit more.

As they walked, a familiar voice caught Gigi's attention. The girl turned around and her eyes shone with joy. She bent down and welcomed the child running towards her in her arms. 

\- Ethan - whimpered, holding him tight. He screamed, happy to see her. They had never been separated and certainly in his own way Ethan had missed his sister. Crystal looked at them softly, she had brought Gigi to New York just to make her happy. Gigi's heart was beating so fast, her little brother was there, he was fine. All the pain his absence had caused seemed to fade. 

\- How are you, huh? What are you doing alone? - she stroked his hair and he told her he wasn't alone. In fact, his mother appeared shortly after, worried that she'd lost her son in the crowd. The woman then saw him with Gigi. 

\- Ethan, come here, come on - Jane pulled him by the arm away from her. Gigi stood up, angry about it.

\- Why do you keep pulling him away from me? Am I wrong or I'm the one who practically raised him, huh? - she started to say, she wouldn't hold back one bit. Her mother didn't answer her, she just turned around. Gigi followed her, Crystal was after her. 

Jane caught up with her husband, who picked Ethan up. They watched them exchange a few words, and when the two of them approached, unexpectedly, Mark invited them to his house. 

They got in the car with them. Crystal was holding Gigi's hand, her breathing was irregular, and anger had taken hold of her. The little trip was spent in silence, no one dared speak.

Once inside the house, the situation lit up fast, like a bomb fuse. 

\- Well, now that you've brought us here, explain to me the reason for... for everything - Gigi began.

\- We made a decision Gigi and it was better for you to stay at home - Mark answered her cold. 

\- No, maybe you don't understand. I want to know. You have to give me some damn reasons - the girl was determined, an explanation was due.

\- You want reasons? That's it. We've decided to move here, my paycheck now allows us to live in luxury, and by staying here we can look after Ethan on our own, like you wanted! - he raised his voice. 

\- So I got cut off because I don't fit into your plans? You abandoned me without even talking to me. You just disappeared - Gigi raised her voice in turn. Crystal stood behind her, ready to back her up. 

\- Sounds to me like I did you a favor, doesn't it? You were really gonna come here with us and leave your friends behind and this dy... - Mark stopped suddenly. 

\- What were you saying? Please continue. Come on, what were you calling her? - Gigi's face turned red, the reasons her father was giving her was bullshit. Crystal whispered to her that it didn't matter, to go away. 

\- Getting you here to argue was a bad idea. Please listen to your friend or whatever and leave - his voice was calm again, but it was harsh. 

\- No. I'm not leaving. Maybe you're right, I wouldn't have come with you anyway, but we could have talked about it and everything would have been fine. But maybe there's something else going on, right? - the girl wouldn't have left, even if he threw her out. Gigi kept insisting, testing her father's patience. The fuse on the bomb had almost worn out. 

\- You want to know the real reason? You're a disgrace to us, we’re ashamed of you. You leave a nice guy like Chester to have a fling with a shitty dyke - Mark screamed out of the blue. Gigi stood still. All her anger had turned to disappointment. 

\- You know what? You guys are shitty parents. You left your daughter alone because you can't accept that the person she loves is a girl. That shouldn't matter to you, you shouldn't care what gender is the person who Gigi is with, you should care more about her happiness - Crystal came forward, protecting her immediately. She'd had thousands of those discussions, she no longer feared them. 

\- And you think you're making her happy? You're two little girls, you don't even know what love is - Mark spat hate, his words pure poison. 

\- I think I make her happy more than you've ever made her happy in her whole life. I gave her all the love I could give her and I'll keep on giving it as long as she wants - the girl held Gigi's hand to make her understand that she would never abandon her. 

Gigi's father remained silent, not knowing what to say. No one could ever answer, so he went straight out with a slap in the face. 

Crystal didn't get upset, her cheek was burning like hell, that was the second slap of her life. The bomb went off. Gigi pushed her father hard and started yelling at him. She insulted him, told him that she had always hated him, that not having him in her life was the best thing. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, she was angry as hell. She could have stood there and listened to him insulting Gigi herself, but she wouldn't let him take it out on Crystal, or even touch her with a finger. 

\- Hey, that's enough. Come on, come on, it's not worth it - Crystal pulled her away hard, headed for the door. Gigi wouldn't calm down. She kept raving like a wounded puppy. When Crystal managed to take her away in the elevator, she still asked her to let go. 

\- Gigi, stop it - she grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to look into her eyes. Gigi looked at her with tears in her eyes, finally managed to stop. Crystal had the power to calm her down like nobody else. Gigi clutched at her chest, Crystal embraced her. The elevator doors opened and they both walked out of the building hand in hand. 

Gigi looked up for a moment towards their window. She was determined to leave everything behind, everyone. There was no point in fighting for those who didn't even love her. 

\- It's not worth it - she said more to herself than to Crystal, then the two of them walked away. 

The curly-haired girl decided it was better to go back to the hotel, but their trip to New York would certainly not end there. She had made a promise to make it a nice trip just for them no matter how things turned out.

Gigi had calmed down, the fresh air on her face and Crystal's calmness had managed to make her quiet. 

\- I'm sorry - she began, sitting on the bed. Crystal turned to her. 

\- You have nothing to be sorry about - she smiled at her and approached her, taking her hands. 

\- I've ruined everything, we were just supposed to stay and enjoy the city... - Gigi had started babbling. 

\- Gigi Goode, look at me - Crystal got her attention. - We'll take what happened as the beginning of our wonderful trip to New York. We'll make it so unforgettable together that we'll forget why we even came. I, Crystal Elizabeth Methyd, promise you that these will be the happiest days of our lives - the girl smiled at her, caressed her face. Gigi smiled back and nodded. 

\- I have a question - Gigi answered her shortly afterwards while playing with her curls. 

\- I'll be happy to answer it - Crystal nodded. 

\- Is Elizabeth really your middle name? - she laughed. 

\- You're a bitch - Crystal joined in with her laugh. Gigi hugged her while the other one tried to move away, pretending to be offended. 

Their first night in New York spent like that, in bed, between sweet moments and laughter. Crystal and Gigi needed each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! I hope you're liking the story so far, feel free to let me know what you think ;)


	14. Fourteen

Gigi woke up in the room flooded with light. Crystal wasn't next to her. The girl didn't make a big deal out of it, maybe she was in the bathroom or had come down to get breakfast, she decided to stay between the sheets and wait. 

Time started to pass, Crystal wasn't coming back. Gigi was afraid to be left by her too, the sense of abandonment still caught her. She tried to keep calm, but the more minutes went by, the more anxiety rose. She had sat on the bed, shaking her leg at a fast pace, her body was now one step ahead of her mind. Gigi checked outside the window, tired of waiting, picked up the phone and wrote to Crystal where she was. She watched the chat every two minutes. Crystal hadn't even seen the message. 

At least an hour went by, and Gigi panicked. She had been abandoned, alone and in a city she didn’t know, without being able to go home. 

Then a panic attack came suddenly like a bolt of lightning in the sky. She had palpitations, hot flashes and sudden sweats. Gigi trembled like a leaf, the feeling of suffocation became more and more overwhelming, also causing her chest pain. She felt as if she was going mad, the room clenched around her. 

When Crystal entered the room, she looked for her until she found her sitting at the end of the bed, on the floor, with her knees on her chest and her head hidden in her arms. She heard her sobbing, it seemed as if Gigi was having trouble even breathing. The girl rushed over to her side. 

\- Gigi, what's wrong? Are you all right? - She tried to keep a calm, spoke with reassuring tone, but she was losing her mind. Gigi wasn't responding, she was in the middle of a panic attack and couldn't even hear her. Crystal insisted a little longer, Gigi seemed to start to think. 

She had to take her to a different area, maybe even the small balcony, in the open air. She decided not to touch her without first asking and getting permission from Gigi, fearing that it might make things worse. Gigi had nodded, Crystal had taken her hands, making her stand up calmly. She took her outside, speaking to her calmly and confidently. She'd never seen Gigi like that before. 

Although it was clear to her that there was no real reason to be afraid, this was very real to Gigi. At that moment the best Crystal could do was to try to "stay with her" to face the fear together. The emotional threat was as real as the threat of life and death to the body. It was important to take the fears of the girl in front of her seriously. 

\- Hey, Gi, I know you're worried, it's okay, I'm here to help you - she said, trying to make her feel less lonely and inadequate. Especially trying to make her feel welcomed in her vulnerability and not ridiculed. Crystal tried to put herself in Gigi's shoes, trying to see hers as a real problem, as if she had a cut somewhere and was losing a lot of blood. The situation, from her point of view, was terribly real: treating it as such was the only way Crystal could help. 

She tried to ask her to count how many times she breathed in and how many times she exhaled. Gigi started counting out loud, Crystal encouraged her to inhale up to two. And then to exhale, always up to two, gradually increasing to four and then to six. This was until her breathing slowed down and she settled down. Crystal took a wet towel and passed it over Gigi's face and neck, waiting for her to calm down completely. 

\- Thank you - a little voice came out of Gigi's lips. Crystal had taken her back to the room and sat her down on the bed. 

\- Don’t worry - she smiled at her and gathered her hair in a high ponytail. Gigi had laid her eyes on two glasses of starbucks spilled on the floor, there was milkshake everywhere. 

\- You had gone to get breakfast - she said looking at the mess on the floor. Crystal sat next to her. 

\- Yes, I walked halfway across New York, but I thought I'd do something nice - stroke her leg slowly. - Would you like to tell me what happened? - she asked her later.

\- Well...I mean...I thought you'd gone, forever... I, I'm sorry - Gigi slurred and put her hand on her forehead. 

\- So you didn't read my note on the table? - Crystal got up and took a little white paper and handed it to the girl. Gigi took it in her hands, the note in red said "There's a surprise for you, I'll be back soon" and next to it a little heart. 

\- I'm an idiot - she kept staring at the note. Crystal took her face in her hands.

\- No, you're not. What happened can happen, and it's understandable, you don't have to feel like an idiot, not even for a second, Gi - she caressed her cheeks with her thumbs. The other nodded.

\- But how... You knew what to do, how? - Gigi asked her, she never had the people around her help her in the right way. For the only two times that had happened to her in public, she was told to calm down and that it would pass, only managing to make her even more anxious. Crystal, on the other hand, took it easy on her, let her breathe, trying to understand her.

\- At my old school, they used to do all kinds of first aid courses for all kinds of situations. I liked to participate - she answered. 

\- Are you telling me that your real passion is being a doctor? - Gigi joked with a smile on her face.

\- What? No, I'm too sensitive, I'd cry about anything all the time - Crystal laughed. 

\- Crystal, you kept your nerve before, I've never seen you more controlled than that - the girl got serious again. 

\- Yes, outside, but inside I was going crazy, Gi - she put her hands on her cheeks and shook her head. Gigi thanked her again, she would have risked hyperventilation if she hadn't arrived. 

The two of them kept talking for a while. Gigi was sitting cross-legged on the bed and Crystal had started cleaning up the mess she had made by dropping the glasses full of the cold drink. They put on some music and Crystal put on a show to make Gigi laugh. 

The girl was scrubbing the floor with the scottecs to the rhythm of the music and singing, Gigi started to take a video and wouldn't stop laughing. Crystal noticed the video too late and lifted herself red in the face, saying to erase it, unable to stay serious. Gigi put the phone away and Crystal took her to dance with her. They were fooling around in the middle of the room. 

\- I love this song! - Gigi recognized it from the first few notes. Crystal was confused. - You don't know this song, you're a disgrace, really - she started singing with the air conditioning remote control as a microphone.

_ All these years on my own _

_ Fight my fight all alone _

_ 'Til you came, don't you know _

_ Don't you know _

Gigi pointed at her, waiting for the chorus to start. Crystal was amused and softened by her at the same time.

_ Baby, you're the highlight of my lowlife _

_ Take a shitty day and make it alright, yeah, alright _

_ Oh, in every circumstance _

_ Yeah, you make the difference _

_ Baby, you're the highlight of my lowlife, lowlife _

Crystal jumped around the girl's neck, hugging her. Gigi laughed and teased her about how cute she was. 

Shortly afterwards they realized they had missed the visits they had planned to make around New York. They got dressed quickly and decided it was time to go out and enjoy the city. 

They went to Central Park, which presented itself to them like a huge garden. The summer atmosphere made it even more beautiful. They decided to go to the zoo, to have some fun. It was full of exotic animals, tigers, lions, penguins, there were about 500 animals in there. The zoo was a park of at least 6 hectares, it seemed almost impossible to see everything. Crystal and Gigi were a bit sorry for the animals, even if they seemed to be well cared for and fed by the locals. 

After the zoo, they stopped at a kiosk selling Mexican food for lunch and together they remembered the first time Gigi had been to Crystal's house. Stephen and Gloria had prepared those delicious gorditas according to Gigi and even made one especially for Ethan. 

\- We're forgetting the promise with the forehead, dear - Crystal laughed.

\- It was meant to be a friendly moment... Of course it wasn't a friendly moment at all - Gigi joined in with the other one's laugh. 

\- You were hitting on me, and I totally understand! I'm so funny - she waved her curly hair, making a smug face. 

\- And you're also beautiful as hell - Gigi's compliment came unexpectedly. Crystal blushed, as if it was the first time she told her she thought she was beautiful. Gigi used to make those comments, and Crystal often told her that she wasn’t, at which point the other one would always tap her shoulder or the back of her neck and tell her not to bullshit.

\- Thank you, Miss Universe - she replied, causing a smile in Gigi. 

\- You've got to stop this! I only said it once - she curled her nose, remembering that time. Crystal had gone to Gigi's before going to a party and she had started trying on dresses and dresses, bragging that she was so beautiful that she could become Miss Universe. Crystal thought it was true, but she only teased her about her conceit. Since then the "Miss Universe" card has been used to indicate her beauty. Gigi pretended to be annoyed, but she actually loved it when she teased her in that ridiculous way. 

In the afternoon they continued their sightseeing tour by going first to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the two art lovers lost their heads. It was amazing how in one place years and years of history were guarded. There was the American wing, where they had seen important examples of American art. The collection of the American Wing included about 20,000 works by African American, Euro-American, Native American and Latin American artists from the colonial period to the early modern period. And then they were lost among the other wonders of the world kept in different areas: Ancient Near Eastern Art, then Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, and again Asian Art and European Sculpture and Decorative Arts. Mighty statues, accurately carved, ancient objects, entire pieces of buildings from over a thousand and a thousand years ago. It felt like traveling through time, and to do so all they had to do was move around the museum. Crystal and Gigi walked around the museum like little girls in a candy store. Crystal's favourite part was to admire the European paintings, as many as 2,500 works of art from the 13th to the early 20th century. There were paintings by Caravaggio, Klimt, Courbet, Manet, Monet, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, all painters that Crystal had carefully studied. 

\- I mean, look at them! I wish I was that good, I swear - Crystal had told Gigi. 

\- You already are, trust me. And art has so many forms, each one has its own style and way of working, just look at these paintings... All different and yet all beautiful - Gigi answered her, holding her hand. 

They came out of the museum which was almost sunset. The colours of the city had changed and it seemed to be in a completely different place. Gigi and Crystal decided to close the tour and back to the hotel they washed and dressed for dinner. 

Gigi had worn one of her beautiful expensive clothes, one of the birthday presents her parents had brought her from Italy. It was a short, one-shouldered Moschino's dress, a beautiful, bright fuchsia, tiger. That night being sober wasn't one of her plans. As she was finishing her makeup, Crystal appeared from the bathroom, ready to leave. The girl stopped to look at her, her jaw fell on the floor. 

Crystal had put on a pink sheath dress that matched her body's curves perfectly. Her skin looked even more amber and the lipstick in the same shade as Gigi's dress made her lips stand out. The well-defined curls fell on her shoulders. 

\- Is it too much? - Crystal asked her, looking at her astonished face. Gigi came up to her and took her hands. 

\- Crys, you're really beautiful - she said to her, admiring her more closely. Gigi thought that the works of art seen in the museum that afternoon had nothing to do with her. 

\- Thank you, so are you - Crystal blushed. They gave each other half a kiss without touching their lips painted in different lipsticks. 

Soon afterwards they were outside the hotel, looking for some place that would let them in without any problems. It was quite difficult, but then there was a party open to everyone in a club and it was full of boys and girls their own age. They entered the club, it was dark, a few coloured lights lit the place and the music was tremendously loud. There were people dancing on the dance floor, others were sitting on sofas smoking and others at the cocktail bar. Everyone had a glass full of alcohol in their hands. 

Gigi got a drink and Crystal also got a drink and then they went dancing. Every now and then between one song and another Gigi had started drinking more and more, Crystal had decided to stop at some point. At least one of them had to be sober to get back to the hotel and avoid accidents. The evening began to pass quickly between drinks.

Some boys approached them, Gigi danced undisturbed, occasionally rubbing against Crystal, a giggle came out of her lips because of the alcohol. They were having fun, then one of the two boys tried to dance with Gigi, taking her from the hips. She was so drunk that she let go, Crystal in turn had been invited by the other boy's friend to do the same. She played along for a while, they just wanted to dance. 

Crystal looked at Gigi, and when she realized things were about to get out of hand, she got in the way. 

\- Crystal, he's... I don't know, I can't remember his name - the girl giggled and leaned on her. 

\- All right, bye - she greeted him kindly - Now we're leaving - Crystal continued, talking to Gigi. The girl protested, but she pulled her away anyway. As they headed outside, a group of girls bumped into them. Crystal heard an ice-cold drink coming at her. 

\- Oh God, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't see you - one of them apologized, her glass was empty. The pink dress had a giant red stain in the center. 

\- It doesn't matter, it'll come away, don’t worry - she smiled at her and then kept walking, reaching outside. Gigi must have been drinking again without her having seen her because she could barely stand. 

\- Stop, stop, stop, I'm sick - Gigi whimpered, holding on to her. Crystal made her sit on a bench nearby.

\- How fucking much have you been drinking? - Crystal told her, bothered. She was sure she'd had four cocktails, Gigi had lost count. While they were sitting outside waiting for the other one to feel better, the guys from earlier came out of nowhere. They just said hello. Crystal watched them light a joint, one of them noticed her, took a shot and then handed her the smoke. 

\- Don't you trust me? - the boy asked her. 

\- No, not at all - Crystal answered, she wouldn't take stuff from a stranger. 

\- I swear, it's good stuff - he explained. Okay, maybe she'd take it. 

\- Give me that - she took the joint out of his hands and took a few shots and gave it back to the kid. 

\- Paul, nice to meet you - he said smiling. 

\- Crystal - she still couldn't trust him, it seemed like a strange situation. Her friend, meanwhile, had sat next to Gigi. She wasn't even calculating it. 

Paul had begun to talk, saying things that Crystal pretended to listen to, out of politeness. 

Meanwhile, the other guy had laid one hand on Gigi's thigh, she had moved it, even though the effect of the alcohol and her discomfort were becoming overwhelming. When Crystal tried to turn towards her, Paul caught her attention and pulled her back towards him. 

\- Take your hands off me - she pushed him and stood up. The other boy was taking Gigi away, she was calling her name. Crystal ran to him since he hadn't got that far. She grabbed Gigi's hands, reached out to her and pulled her away, holding her to herself. 

\- You dog, get lost - the courage to insult him like that probably came from the smoke. He didn't seem to appreciate it, but luckily before he could act in any way, the group of girls who had clashed with Crystal had called him back. Crystal thanked them, the girl who spilled the drink on her dress apologized again, and then they left. 

Crystal had called a taxi, it was now three in the morning and New York was too scary to walk around with Gigi in that state. 

They went back to the hotel and Gigi threw up a couple of times before she fell asleep. Crystal took off her dress and put her to bed, letting her rest between the fresh sheets. She stayed awake for a while, fearing that Gigi would get sick in her sleep again. 

Crystal thought that maybe they had to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another one! Feel free to let me know what you think, kisses xx Hope you enjoy!


	15. Fifteen

The next morning, Crystal woke up on a chair in the room. She sat watching Gigi and ended up falling asleep. 

Gigi was lying on her stomach on the bed, looking at her with a faint smile. 

\- Good morning - she raised her hand. Crystal didn't answer her. She was angry, the night before had once again been a disaster. Gigi followed her when the other one headed for the bathroom.

\- Crys, what's wrong? - she asked her, grabbing her by the wrist.

\- I've got a better question, what do you remember about last night? - she answered her, almost stern. She was scared to death, actually. 

\- I only remember half the night, really…- she confessed to her as she looked down. Crystal saw this coming.

\- You answered to your question - she told her, moving the hand she was holding on her wrist. 

\- No, wait, come on - Gigi blocked her again, Crystal was still wearing her dress from the night before.

\- What is it? - she resigned herself, Crystal couldn't shake her sense of anger toward Gigi.

\- Instead of staying angry, couldn't we talk? - the girl was quite confused about what was happening and what happened the night before.

\- Okay, you want to talk? Fine, let's talk. You wanna start with the number of drinks you had even though I told you to stop? Or the stranger you were grinding on? Ah no, maybe you want to ask me about my favorite fucking dress ruined by a giant stain of alcohol and your vomit, which doesn't come out, by the way... No no, I think you want to start talking about how they tried to take advantage of us and how I saved you from a possible rape, still risking getting beaten up for you! - her voice got louder and louder. Her mood was more dictated by fear, she had had to drag Gigi from one place to another, taking responsibility for taking care of her in those situations.

\- Now I remember - nodded Gigi. The memories of the night before were surfacing in her mind one by one.

\- Of course, she remembers now - Crystal made an annoyed face, shrugged her shoulders. 

\- But why are you so angry? Crystal, I'm sorry... - Gigi had started to say. Crystal interrupted her.

\- You’re sorry? That's all you have to say? I was seriously afraid for us, for  **you** . Do you know what was about to happen? And I even took a fucking joint like an idiot - she ran her hands through her hair, her eyes got all shiny.

\- But it didn't happen, right? And then you're lecturing me, but in the meantime you accepted drugs from a stranger - Gigi started getting nervous in turn, it seemed like an unfounded lecture.

\- Okay, it wasn't drugs, and then what the fuck does "it didn't happen" mean? Do you know how scared I was? That fucker was ready to rape you and then maybe me too. Just thinking about it breaks my soul because if something happened to you I'd never forgive myself, because you're all I love and that's proven by all the times I've been hit by someone for you - Crystal was screaming, trying not to lose control, holding back tears.

\- Will you stop throwing that in my face? I feel very very guilty for that, plus I'm not the one who asked you to get hit or defend me! Shit, Crystal, we had a good time last night. Nothing bad happened. If it's about the dress, we’ll find another one! - Gigi wasn't making any sense anymore.

\- Oh, we had fun? At first, yes, we did, but then you had fun feeling sick because of how much you drank? Did you have fun having stomach aches and headaches? Did you have a good time throwing up all night? I stayed up all night, afraid to keep an eye on you because I was afraid you'd choke in your sleep! I rubbed this fucking dress so hard, I ruined it! And I don't want another one because this was the only gift I had left of my father and now when he dies I'll have nothing! - when she was over, she was out of breath, she started to get tears flowing down her cheeks, her hands were shaking. Before Gigi could answer her, Crystal hurried out of the room, slamming the door. She felt suffocated and ran away. She was angry, she was hurt, she felt terribly sad.

Crystal began to think that maybe she was the cause of everyone's evil, that she was a kind of natural disaster that brought bad luck everywhere she went. She began to believe that she had ruined Gigi's life, that it had only got her into trouble, that she had turned everything upside down, and because of her, her parents had driven her away. Gigi didn't get anything good out of her. Crystal began to blame herself for her father's illness, which had always made a man desperate and disappointed in her. Crystal believed her father had only accepted her because he had to, not because he wanted to. He got sick because of her, because of the sorrows she'd given him all his life. 

She started running away through the crowded streets of New York City, not knowing where she was going. She just ran, the tears never stopped. 

Gigi had followed her as far as the hotel exit, then lost sight of her in the crowd and the fast passing cars. She went back to her room. She didn't know what to do. She put her hands in her hair, desperate, and started calling her on the phone. Too bad it started ringing on her bedside table. Gigi had to go outside and look for her. She got dressed quickly, took a few things, including the room keys, and left in a hurry. She went in the direction she'd lost her and started asking around. Gigi started walking around New York, looking for Crystal. She had run away like a frightened animal and needed to be found. 

Gigi spent hours searching for Crystal, no one seemed to have seen her or even noticed her. There wasn't even a trace of Crystal. Gigi cried, the thought of her lost and alone in New York worried her to death. 

Crystal had found herself in a place she didn't know. She had stopped, tired and with bare feet worn out and almost hurt. She fell to her knees, still the thought of being a burden crushed her. She sat in the shade of a nearby tree. The place quickly filled with mothers who took the children to play together. 

A woman approached her, asking if she was all right. Crystal had said yes, that she was waiting for a friend. She didn't really know how to get back. She realized she was too far away to go back to the hotel and maybe find Gigi. 

Gigi kept looking, came across two women with children running around them. One of them smiled at her and then told her that her friend had already arrived and was waiting for her. She gave her a confused look and then asked her to describe the girl. Gigi realized she had found Crystal. She asked her to point out the direction to the small square a little further down the road and ran there, hoping to find Crystal. 

She saw her and her eyes shone, a veil of tears covered them. Gigi called out to her in a loud voice. Crystal looked up and rose quickly. They ran towards each other, then collided in a hug. 

\- I'm sorry, I'm sorry - Crystal wept, rubbing her face into the hollow of her neck.

\- It doesn't matter, it's all right, it doesn't matter - Gigi squeezed her and caressed the back of her neck. When they pulled away, she realized Crystal was barefoot. She took off her shoes and made Crystal put them on, while she walked with only her socks on her feet. Gigi remembered the way to the hotel, it took them a good half hour to get there.

As soon as she got back to her room, Crystal sat down on the armchair she'd slept in. She held her head in her hands. 

\- Gigi, maybe I'm the cause of the evil people around me. Without me you were fine without me, when I wasn't even talking to my father, he was fine, everyone was fine before me - Crystal sobbed. Gigi came up to her, bent between her legs. 

\- Crystal, you don't hurt nobody, you don't even have to think that shit. You save our lives, you make them better. You saved me from that life I didn't want, you save me every time I'm broken and you don't even accept a thank you. You saved your father from his prison, you made him realize the hate he felt wasn't right. You brought two groups of friends together, made new connections. You have the power to free everyone with your joy, your vitality and your beautiful personality. You are a force of nature, everyone who knows you loves having you in their lives, especially me - Gigi took her face in her hands. She put a kiss on her lips, caressed her curls. 

\- Why everything happen to us? - Crystal asked her, closing her eyes and letting go of Gigi's touch. 

\- Crys, the world isn't perfect, but it's not so bad either... It's true, we've had all kinds of things happen to us, but if we have each other, it'll always be all right. I'll always be here, holding your hand. And when the world won't be perfect, when the world won't be kind, we'll hold each other so tightly that we'll get through it - she started stroking her cheeks with her thumbs. - Maybe New York isn't our lucky city... But you know what we'll do? We're gonna keep on having the time of our lives. It's the last day, let's enjoy it and tonight no drinking or family. Just us, I promise - Gigi reassured her smiling. Crystal regained her smile and found the strength to get up. Gigi's sweetness was a rare thing, it was like a special event reserved only for her. 

It was late in the afternoon and they chose to make one last visit, the one they had put in first place. The Brooklyn Bridge was one of the most famous bridges in the world and was considered one of the icons of the Big Apple. The bridge crossed the East River connecting the districts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The setting sun gave a thousand plays of light that filled the heart. Gigi and Crystal walked over it, exchanging kisses just like in a movie. It was there, in their "unfortunate" city, as they had nicknamed it, that they promised never to leave each other, to remain united for better or for worse. They sealed their promise that night, too, as soon as they returned to the hotel. From the French windows, a little bit of light from the sunset that went away and gave way to the moon peeped out. 

They fell on the bed, Gigi on her back, Crystal on her. They laughed, a last ray of sunshine divided their faces. Their kisses were soft. Crystal walked over Gigi's body slowly, the girl underneath her letting go of that softness. Their clothes took a moment to disappear and their bodies melted together. They knew perfectly the curves and particularities of their bodies. 

Crystal loved the dimples at the base of Gigi's back. 

Gigi was crazy about the birthmark just below Crystal's right breast. 

Crystal ran her fingers along her spine, making her shudder.

Gigi would leave a trail of kisses along her chest and belly.

They knew where to touch each other, how to get to their weak points and let the other one touch them, without fear of being discovered, completely naked. 

The white sheets were cool under their warm skins. The room was filled with little moans, which sounded like music in Gigi and Crystal's ears. The slow, love-filled movements increased the idyllic feeling of the moment they spent themselves between the white sheets.

A silent "I love you" rose up in the air as they lay down and embraced, almost intertwined. The moon was now high and the feeling of cuddling with the fresh air coming in through the window brought them together in the arms of Morpheus.

Crystal and Gigi would soon meet in their dreams too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! I hope you're liking the story so far, feel free to let me know what you think ;)


	16. Sixteen

The next morning it was time to go home to Los Angeles. 

The girls packed their bags and headed for the airport, looking out the window of the taxi for the last time into the city. They found themselves back at JFK International Airport, ready to return to their reality. 

\- Gigi! Crystal! - a voice called out to them, drawing their attention. The two of them turned around, Mark, Jane and Ethan were there and headed towards them. Gigi and Crystal looked surprised, wondering what they were doing there. 

\- Mom... Dad, what are you doing here? - Gigi stepped forward, as angry as she wanted to be, she just couldn't do it, the disappointment and melancholy were stronger. 

\- We're here to make up for it, maybe it's already too late, but we want to try. Gigi, unfortunately we'll stay in New York, but we want to visit you every weekend and if you want we could leave Ethan with you sometimes. It's not fair to exclude you from our family. No, it’s not fair excluding you just because the person who loves you is a woman, it’s not fair. Please Gigi, forgive us - her father spoke quickly, Gigi could see that he was sincere from his eyes, but he had told so many other lies that she didn't know whether to believe him. 

\- I accept the apology, but I don't want to believe your promise. I can no longer believe a word thrown to the wind - the girl told him, she held Crystal's hand firmly in her hand, to remind herself that she was now her family. 

\- This time they are not just words. We'll show you, for real Gigi - her mother intervened, holding Ethan in her arms. Crystal looked at her girlfriend, nodded slightly, to make her realize she should gave her parents one last chance. Gigi thought about it for a few seconds.

\- You're going to have to work really hard to earn my trust - she said, Mark and Jane finally hugged her. Then Mark turned to Crystal.

-I apologize to you, too, for my words and well...For my gesture, I'm really sorry - he started.

\- I'd say it hurt like hell - Crystal stopped for a moment, she was laughing - But don't worry - she finally smiled at him. It wasn't worth bearing a grudge, she did it for Gigi. 

The last call for their flight brought her back to reality. They quickly said goodbye to the couple and then to little Ethan, who had promised to be good for Gigi. Once on the plane, the two of them had mixed feelings. Gigi was ready to return to her warm Los Angeles with Crystal and her friends. Crystal, on the other hand, almost wanted to stay on that plane forever. The terror of coming back and perhaps finding out that her father had gotten worse suddenly attacked her, but deep down she knew she had to face the situation. 

\- Are you okay? - Gigi put her head on her shoulder while she held her hand. 

\- Yes, I'm just a little anxious - she replied, resting her head on Gigi's head. 

\- What for? - she asked her, knowing she had to pull the information. 

\- For my father - she just said. 

\- Don't worry, we'll get through this together too... And then Stephen said not to get down, remember? You promised him you wouldn't let yourself get down - Gigi stood up to look at her and caressed her cheek. Crystal nodded, letting the calm in her eyes take effect. 

This time the five hours of travel seemed much less between their discussions. They both had a little talk that took them from one topic to another completely at random, making them go on for who knows how long. 

Once they landed, the warm Los Angeles sun welcomed them and it was as if they had never left. Outside the airport, Gloria and Stephen were waiting for them. The two of them hugged the girls warmly. Crystal took a few moments to study her father, apart from a cast on his left arm, he seemed to be doing very well. She felt a certain happiness, which made her forget her anxiety. 

Gloria and Stephen took the girls home and all their friends were waiting for them. They got out of the vehicle quickly and threw themselves into the arms of the other girls. 

\- Come on, we were gone three days though, that's enough - Gigi withdrew shortly afterwards, repulsive to the sweetness of her friends, even though deep down she liked it. Crystal, on the other hand, was losing herself in the warm embraces of her friends, but no one was like Gigi's. 

The friends spent the afternoon in the garden of Crystal's house, to have some fun. Between music, jokes and cold drinks, their little party went on. 

\- Okay, we keep talking about trivial things here! Tell us about this blessed journey, won't you? - Jackie exclaimed as they were all sitting in a circle, some on the lawn, some on the benches. 

\- It went well - Gigi and Crystal looked at each other as accomplices. 

\- No, no, no, we want the details! - Jaida intervened, not accepting such a bland response. 

\- Indeed! Start telling us about... - Dahlia took her cell phone - ...this story Gigi put on Instagram! - the girl showed the screen. It was a picture where you could see Crystal's silhouette in the dark in bed, with her back uncovered from the sheets. Gigi laughed embarrassed, hiding her face in her hands. Crystal was blushing like a rash. She had no idea about that picture. 

\- Wow, I look hot like this - Crystal said looking at the picture more closely. 

\- "Like this"? Crystal you're a hottie from every angle - Widow had complimented her, Gigi had nodded. 

\- Confirmed, you are a hottie from  **every** angle - Gigi mocked her, making everyone understand what they had done. Her friends, struck by Gigi's audacity, screamed and laughed. 

\- Why are you as surprised as if it was the first time we did it? - Crystal asked, unable to hold a smile. Everyone stopped for a second to look at them.

They had often joked about them having sex, but none of them ever believed it, nor had they had any kind of confirmation from the two of them. 

\- So you're telling me you were serious? When did it happen?! - Jan asked with her mouth open. 

\- After my birthday party - Crystal answered her, thinking back to that night. The feeling of happiness and love of doing it for the first time with the person she loved came alive in her. Gigi felt the same way. Her real first time had been with Chester, but it had been totally erased on any level by the one with Crystal. The emotions she felt, the way Crystal's touch made her feel, everything. 

\- Oh God, it's a good thing I didn't stay over then - Rock made a fake gross face, causing a laugh. 

\- So other than getting it on, what did you guys do in New York? - Widow took matters into her own hands. 

\- Let's see...We got there, got lost looking for a restaurant, went around the shops, got into a fight with my parents...Well, Crystal actually got into a fight - Gigi started making a list of things, laughing, that only brought back good memories and all about Crystal, sitting next to her.

\- What are you talking about? I took a slap and you wanted to throw your father off the tenth floor! I stopped you just in time - laughed Crystal, her friends listened as the two of them told their first day, softened by their relationship. - The next day? Ah yes, Gigi cried because I had gone to get breakfast - Crystal mocked her, she laughed at that moment, but in reality she'll never forget the fear of that morning.

\- It didn't go quite like that, but I'll let it pass - the girl moved her hair behind her back, looking haughty. - Then we went to the zoo anyway, Crystal was about to... - Crystal covered Gigi's mouth with one hand, knowing full well what she was about to say. Her friends protested, wanting to know. 

\- Crystal was about to fall into the dolphin pool trying to caress one after the show - Gigi started laughing, remembering the scene. Crystal complained that it was a secret, although she still found it very funny. 

\- Crystal the dolphin tamer - Heidi said, and everyone, including her, laughed until they cried. Crystal stood up, pretending to catch a dolphin with a string, a bit like cowboys did. The girls couldn't even breathe for laughter.

\- Okay, okay, let's move on, please Miss Goode - Crystal cheered her on, Gigi stopped laughing and kept on telling New York.

\- After these fantastic moments when Crystal was among her peers, we went to the museum. Sure, risky to bring an animal into a museum but she behaved well - Gigi joked, getting a pat on the arm from Crystal. "You're a fool," she mimed with her lips. 

\- Well, I'll tell my favorite part, that's enough - Crystal got in the way while Gigi finished telling about the museum. - Time jump till the evening. We decide to go to a party, or at least look for it. We shoot half of New York and then a nice open party of kids our age shows up. We go in, have fun, a guy tries to hit on Gigi... She's obviously drunk as usual, ladies and gentlemen - the girl tells the story of the evening, raising a giggle every now and then. Gigi was almost embarrassed, part of her was afraid she'd tell the rest. She didn't know why, but she was ashamed.

\- We decide to leave before I end up fighting with other people. Needless to say, the next morning we fought like crazy, I'm a jealous type, what are you going to do about it - Crystal quickly concluded the story of that evening, omitting most of the things. Gigi thanked her mentally. After all, it was right that certain things should be kept to themselves, sad or happy as they were, they were still intimate moments between the two of them. 

\- But then I took you to the Brooklyn Bridge - Gigi smiled at her, she couldn't help it. Crystal smiled back. The girls around them pretended to be disgusted by the romantic moment. 

\- And then you did the nasty things, I enclose proof of the bad deed once again - Dahlia showed the picture again. Crystal and Gigi looked at each other again, knowing that this would be one of the times they had sex that they would remember forever. 

The afternoon continued among other fun anecdotes and the discussion about the prom the following weekend.

When the guests left, Gigi and Crystal were back alone. It was as if they never tired of each other, but sometimes they wanted to be a little bit apart. Gigi decided to go for a bath. 

\- Gigi? - Crystal called her as she went up the stairs. 

\- Tell me - Gigi turned to her. 

\- I wondered if you'd like to go to the prom with me - she asked shyly, a smile made room on her lips as she looked at her. 

\- Gladly - Gigi answered smilingly, sending her a flying kiss, and then disappeared upstairs. 

Crystal had never been to the ball. All her friends had been invited by some guy every year, but she was always alone. She was offered to join, but Crystal felt too uncomfortable, so she always stayed home. But now she had someone to go with, and she was the best and most beautiful of them all in her opinion. 

That week, Gigi and Crystal spent less time together than usual. They were both getting ready for the prom and promised each other a surprise. So Gigi went from store to store with her friends, and Crystal did the same with hers. 

Gigi found her dress almost immediately, despite her whims that she wanted to be perfect at all costs. The way Jaida, Widow, and Dahlia saw it, she was one of those girls who could dress in a garbage bag and would look like a model. But for Gigi it wasn't like that, she knew what suited her and what didn't, not everything worked on her body and just because she was skinny, it didn't mean that every garment looked great on her. After trying on several dresses, the right one was a bright red velvet one. It was in perfect "Pretty Woman" style and she fell in love with it right away. 

When she came home with the dress, Crystal looked at her in shock. She'd been walking around for days and there was nothing she liked, nothing that seemed to fit. It was all too pompous and elegant for her, she couldn't see herself. In fact, she couldn't find the right dress until the day before the prom. Crystal came home jumping around, finally happy with what she'd got. She only hoped that Gigi would find it splendid too, because that's how she felt in that dress. 

The next morning they went to school like the other days, Crystal and Gigi didn't even hint at what they were going to wear. 

\- I'll pick you up at 7:00 p.m. from the living room. I love you, see you later - Gigi had told Crystal before entering the classroom, with a smile on her lips. Crystal had laughed at her idiot joke and greeted her gently. 

After lunch they didn't see each other at all, until they had to meet in the living room to leave. Gigi was getting ready in Crystal's room while she was in her parents' room. 

Gigi had begun to pick up her long hair in a high hairstyle, then moved on to makeup. 

Crystal, on the other hand, had spent her time looking at memes and had only got up an hour before meeting Gigi to do her makeup and fix her curls. 

Gigi had sat on the couch, Gloria and Stephen had complimented her, she was really beautiful. As they chatted, Crystal came down the stairs in a hurry, as if she was late. When she got to the last two steps, she jumped and then turned around to get a better look at herself. 

\- What do you think? - Crystal was smiling in her blue dress. It was very simple, short, and she had enriched it with her thousand accessories, she loved it. Gigi had stopped to look at her, she was fascinated by the way she shone, she was really beautiful. She got up and walked towards her. She took her hands, her eyes shone. 

\- I think you're beautiful, it looks really good on you - Gigi smiled at her. 

\- And you Gi...God, you're wonderful - Crystal took time to study her from head to toe. The sound of a horn caught their attention, they took their coats and hurried out, waving goodbye to Gloria and Stephen. 

They arrived in the hall, which was almost full, the rest of their friends were waiting for them. Gigi and Crystal couldn't help but hold hands and smile. One was drawn to the other like a magnet, it was impossible to repel each other. 

The representative officially started the party shortly afterwards, the music started loudly. Crystal had never seen anything like it and being at her first prom with Gigi was completely a dream. 

The girls danced and occasionally sang all together, transported by the rhythm. Jaida and Dahlia were the most sensual when they danced and their boys seemed to be happy about it, Widow was a born dancer and being close to her made Gigi and Crystal look bad, as they only knew two dance moves. The girls were really enjoying themselves. 

The rhythmic music soon gave way to a slow song. Crystal reached out her hand to Gigi to invite her to dance with her. Gigi took it right away, clutching onto her. They began to dance, hugging each other like that, looking into each other's eyes. 

Gigi couldn't stop smiling, the more she looked at the girl holding her, the more her heart kept beating for happiness. Crystal was everything she had always dreamed of, everything she needed. 

Crystal's eyes became slightly shiny, but she couldn't lose her smile. 

\- I could never have wished for better - Crystal whispered to Gigi. 

\- Neither could I - Gigi put a kiss on her lips. For the rest of the song, they couldn't stop giving each other a few more kisses. The words were no use, as always their emotions were so strong that they mixed together.

_ If you wanna run away with me, I know a galaxy _

_ And I could take you for a ride _

_ I had a premonition that we fell into a rhythm _

_ Where the music don't stop for life _

Another song started and Gigi immediately jumped out: it was the song she had secretly dedicated to Crystal. She started singing, as if the lyrics of the song were simply words she wanted to say to Crystal. 

_ Glitter in the sky, glitter in my  _ _ eye _

_ Shining just the way I like _

_ If you feeling like you need a little bit of company _

_ You met me at the perfect time _

Crystal let Gigi make her turn around while they danced and she understood that every word the other one sang, she heard it inside her. That song was just for her.

_ You want me, I want you, baby _

_ My sugar boo, I'm levitating _

_ The milky way, we're renegading _

_ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. _

_ I got you, moonlight _

_ You're my starlight _

_ I need you all night _

_ Come on, dance with me _

_ I'm levitating _

Crystal and Gigi continued to dance on those notes, the world around them had stopped. Their smiles shone and so did their hearts.

That was the best night of their lives, the night they realized they were destined to be together forever. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter came this late, I was just so sad to let this story go. I really hope you like it and enjoyed it just as much as I loved writing it. Please, please, let me know if you would like a "Sequel"!   
> Love you all, thank you so much for all the love and support xx

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! This is my first story in english and I hope you like it! Kisses xx


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